What We Are
by MoonlightGardenias
Summary: Basically, an alternate take on what season 7 could  and should  have been. LL.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This story has sort of been a long time coming and I hope that people enjoy it. Like the summary said this is in essence an alternate take on season 7, focusing mostly on Luke and Lorelai, because as some of you are aware things didn't exactly happen the way shippers would've liked. I know there are tons of them already but I wanted to give it a shot.

Special thanks to my fandom BFF for encouraging me to get this done. I hope it lives up to your expectations. :)

**Disclaimer:** Obviously, I don't own Gilmore Girls. If I did I wouldn't need an alternate version of s7 now would I?

* * *

><p>With the morning rush over only a few customers remained. Luke was using it as an opportunity to catalog items in the store room until he heard the door opening and a voice that demanded his attention.<p>

"Where is he? Where's Luke?" Lorelai shut the door, storming up to the counter in two quick strides. "Luke, if you're back there I-"

"Easy, Lorelai. I'm right here. What's-"

"You. How could you just punch-" Lorelai held her hands up, mimicking the action as she let out a frustrated sigh. "You punch Christopher in the face and just leave?"

Luke sighed and set the notepad he was using on the counter. As much as he wanted to deny it he had a feeling the moment would come sooner rather than later. "So he told you, huh?"

"Of course he told me. Luke, what on earth would cause you to think that was a good idea?" Lorelai asked, suddenly becoming aware of a guy behind them who seemed particularly interested in their conversation. "Okay, seriously, am I talking to you?"

The guy nearly jumped out of his seat at the frustration in her eyes as she spun to face him. "No. I'll just…get back to my soup."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." She quipped. Frustration and confusion seeped through her every pore but when she turned back to Luke he was already shaking his head. "What? You obviously have something to say, so just say it."

He wanted to and yet at the same time he was acutely aware of where they were and the fact that there were people including Babbette and Miss Patty watching. "Lorelai, look. I'm not going to apologize for something I feel perfectly justified in doing. If this is something you wanna talk about, fine. But not here."

"Okay, fine-" Lorelai began, already on her way to the stairs. She stopped, curtain in hand when she realized he wasn't following her.

"What, _now_?" Luke asked, exasperated. But she didn't have to answer. If they were going to have this conversation they needed to have it now.

* * *

><p>The silence once they entered his apartment was nearly unbearable, both unwilling to go first.<p>

Luke spread his arms in an open gesture. He was at a loss as to what to say or do but knew that something had to happen if they were supposed to move forward. "You said you want to talk. _Talk_."

Lorelai shook her head and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "What do you want me to say? What you did to Chris was…was childish. I don't know. If you were angry at me for what I did I understand. But you stay. You talk it out with me; yell, push, say things to _me_, Luke. Not him."

They were standing at a dangerous place. One wrong move and it could go either way. "I don't know what you want me to say. Yeah, I reacted out of anger, but what did you expect me to do?"

"We were going to get married, Luke. I asked you and you said yes. And then you hid April from me and there was this awkward distance. Then we had that fight in front of the diner and we broke up. I overreacted and I was emotional and so many other things-"

"So what you're saying is that there was some excuse for what you did, right? Talk your way out of the blame."

Lorelai's mouth hung open, words unwilling to come forward in her defense. They had fought before; anyone in Stars Hollow could verify that fact. Despite that, they'd always made it work eventually but she had hurt him this time and even though she wasn't the only one at fault everything within her begged that she run in the opposite direction.

"I…should go. I left Michel in charge at the Inn and there's only so much control he can take without letting it go to his head." Lorelai offered as an excuse even if they both knew it was partly a lie. She feigned a sneeze to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "I'll find somewhere else to get coffee. I won't bother you anymore. It'll probably be for the best anyway."

"Lorelai, wait-" Luke called as she opened the door. By the time he got to the stairs she was already running out the door. From her table he saw Miss Patty raising a questioning eyebrow but she apparently intercepted his glare correctly. It simply was not the time to intrude.

* * *

><p>Lorelai marched into the kitchen of the Dragonfly a short while later, treating the coffee pot with a bit more force than truly necessary.<p>

"Um…Lorelai? Lorelai, honey if you're not careful you're going to-"

"Break something? Yeah, Sookie, because I feel like breaking something. I mean, really. All I wanted was to talk. That's what started all of this, you know. We didn't talk. And then, well, Chris was there and we talked…or, well, didn't talk depending upon the time of that night. Anyway, Luke just goes over there and punches him and now-"

"Luke hit Chrstopher?" Sookie exclaimed, not realizing until afterward how amused she was by that fact. "Sorry, go on."

Lorelai sighed before taking a deep gulp from her steaming mug. "What I did was wrong. I realize that. But it's not like Luke to take out his frustrations on someone."

"Well, honey, what happened wasn't exactly a normal situation. I'm your friend and I'm on your side in all of this but-" Sookie turned, noting one of the cooks who was standing close by. "I'm sorry, could you give us a minute?"

Lorelai sighed, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms. "I know you are Sookie, but I really don't think it's going to work this time. I hurt him. I hurt him and then when I went to talk to him just now I thought that maybe I could fix some of that but clearly my plan didn't work out too well."

Sookie frowned in concern as she moved to stir a pan of sauce sitting on the stove. As much as she wanted to help her friend she had a feeling this wasn't something standing in the kitchen of the Dragonfly would solve. "You went to see him?"

"What else was I supposed to do?" Lorelai exclaimed. "Does anything need to be sliced? Because I could really use a sharp-"

At that moment Michel appeared in the doorway, looking relieved at seeing her. "Oh good. Lorelai, there is a man out here who requires your attention. Apparently the room he was scheduled to stay in has been double-booked. I cannot deal with this anymore so I am sure you see why you are needed."

Lorelai sighed, shaking her head as she headed for the front desk, feeling strangely grateful for the distraction.

* * *

><p>Pulling the Jeep in the driveway, Lorelai was already feeling a bit more relaxed and had every intention of going inside, ordering a pizza and relaxing by herself for the evening. That is, until she saw the person perched on her steps.<p>

"What part of me not answering your phone calls a few hours ago did not get through? Christopher, what are you doing here?"

Smiling, Chris stood up from his place on the step and offered her his arm only to feel her push it away. "Look, Lor, I know you're feeling a little guilty about what happened between us the other night but I'm here to tell you there's no need to feel that way."

"Really? And why is that exactly?" Lorelai exclaimed, begging with the tears she felt stinging her eyes and hoping they wouldn't fall.

"Because we can be happy now, Lor. I know this isn't how either of us thought it would happen, but-"

"No." Lorelai replied, leaving little room for argument.

Chris laughed and shook his head, refusing to accept her answer until she heard what he had to say. "I just want you to give us a chance. That's all that I ask. You and I belong together. You know that, right?"

She should have seen it coming and yet standing there in her front yard, worried that Babette or one of her other neighbors could overhear their conversation she wasn't willing to let him win. "I'm only going to say this once so I need you to listen. Okay? What happened between us was not supposed to happen. I needed comfort but I realize now that I shouldn't have gone to see you. So whatever dream you have in your head of us becoming a couple and being a happy family needs to go away, got it?"

"If this is about Luke, you can admit it. He doesn't deserve you."

Lorelai shook her head, heading up the front steps. Sighing, she turned to face him, wanting to make sure her understood. "I'm going inside and you're going home. Good night, Christopher."

With that, she opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it firmly behind her, cutting off contact with the last person she wanted to see. She slipped off her shoes, dropping her purse on the floor, not caring where it landed. Her eyes landed on the phone and for a minute she started walking in that direction until the thought occurred that she couldn't call the one person she wanted to talk with most.

Rory would be more than willing to help or listen if it weren't for the current situation. Sookie had been more than understanding but Lorelai knew her daughter probably wouldn't be as kind.

With nothing else to do she grabbed a pillow from the couch, hugging it tightly to her chest as she settled into the cushions. Everything was falling apart around her and the two people she usually relied on in serious situations had already been or would be damaged by what she'd done. There had to be a way to pick up all the pieces and fix the damage that had been done but she was at a loss of knowing where to start.


	2. Somewhere in the Chaos and Confusion

**Author's Note: **Hey, I got this up earlier than I expected. That's a good thing, right? Anyway, to those of you who favorited or put this on alert thank you so much. It means a lot. If you have the time, please try to leave a review. I edited this myself so if there are any errors I apologize.

Luke's presence is minimal in this one but I promise I'll be making up for that soon. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>A few days passed and not much changed. Lorelai stayed true to her promise, getting her coffee elsewhere. The Dragonfly became where she spent the majority of her time mostly because attendance was picking up but also because when she was there it was easier to forget that not everything was the way it was supposed to be.<p>

But then Friday came. As much as she wanted to pretend or make up yet another excuse about not coming to Friday dinner with her parents Lorelai knew her mother wouldn't take no for an answer. And if she was being honest, spending her time listening to her father ramble on about making deals and the office or her mother gossip about the girls from the club was better than spending a Friday evening alone.

Rory was the problem. While she would probably be able to dodge questions about why Luke wasn't there from her mother (she'd probably be grateful for his absence anyway), she didn't think her daughter would let the issue go easily. She decided stalling was the best tactic. While she knew the truth would have to be told eventually dinner with her parents wasn't exactly the best place to hash everything out.

What she hadn't taken into account was a wreck on the highway that would mean the path Rory would have to take would be slowed down dramatically, meaning she would be alone with Emily longer than she'd like.

"Lorelai, good evening. What would you like to drink?" Emily asked once the maid let her in. She led the way into the sitting room, waiting until Lorelai sat to do the same.

"Oh. Whatever you're having." Lorelai answered, shedding her coat and crossing her legs. In another room she could hear the steady ticking of a clock. "Where's dad?"

Emily waved her hand through the air, rolling her eyes as she spoke. "Oh, apparently the company is _dangerously_ close to a deal. I told him if he's not out by the time dinner is served I'll personally drag him to the table. There's no sense in taking all of that time away from your family."

Lorelai laughed nervously before taking her drink. "Right. Of course."

"Thank you. Elisa, could you ask the chef when we'll be eating? I'll need to give Richard a time estimate so he can wrap up his call." Emily spoke before the maid could leave the room.

"Right away, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Very well then," Emily nodded, smiling until the girl left the room. "She's too chipper, that one. So, tell me-" Emily paused, taking a sip from her drink. "Luke's not here tonight. Was there some last minute problem at the diner?"

Lorelai nearly choked on her drink, wincing as the liquid burned her throat. Of course she knew the question would come but she'd been hoping for an appropriate excuse first. "Yeah, um…they had to order a new toaster oven. But there was something with the…the coil, and-"

"Lorelai, if you're going to lie the least you could do is invent a problem that's a bit more believable than some issue with a toaster." Emily replied, setting her drink on a coaster and clasping her hands together in her lap.

"You don't believe there's a problem with the toaster?"

"I believe that you're avoiding the real issue here." Emily said, in a matter of fact way that implied she knew more than she was letting on.

Lorelai arched an eyebrow before downing a gulp from her drink. "Oh yeah? What's the 'real issue' here?"

Emily pointed to her hand. "You're not wearing your ring. Did you two have a fight and you took it off as some sort of revenge? Or perhaps Luke is having money trouble and had to give the ring back?"

"Mom!" Lorelai cried. "Luke is perfectly fine as far as money as concerned, and I didn't take it off for revenge, which is a completely ridiculous idea by the way. I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh. I see. Well, I suppose the break up was recent considering the fact you didn't inform me he wouldn't be here for dinner tonight."

Of course Emily wasn't going to let it go. Lorelai sighed, clutching her glass tightly. "You're seriously more concerned for the fact you'll have leftover food tonight than the fact I won't be getting married? But I suppose you're probably happy about the fact Luke's not the one for me, aren't you? I'm surprised you haven't broken out the maracas and started your victory dance." At that, Lorelai downed the last of her drink and stood up. "You know what? I have to get going. The Inn is hosting a wedding tomorrow and I need to make sure everything is ready. If Rory ever makes it, tell her I'm sorry I couldn't stay."

"Lorelai, this is absurd. Please, stay for dinner. Or I could have the cook make you a plate, if you're in such a hurry to leave." Emily replied, suddenly regretting the blunt way she brought up the demise of her daughter's relationship. She stood up and crossed the room, hoping to catch her before she left. "Lorelai?"

"What?" Lorelai asked, furiously trying to button her coat before stepping out the door.

"I doubt this will actually mean anything considering how unreasonable you're being at the moment, but for what it's worth I truly am sorry you and Luke couldn't make it work. I haven't made it a secret in the past that I disapproved of your engagement to the man but I know that you loved him."

Lorelai nodded, the lump in her throat growing bigger. It was probably the most sympathetic thing her mother had said. "I should go."

Once out in the Jeep she rested her head against the back of the seat, closing her eyes and forcing herself to breathe slowly. In and out. Calm. The trouble was calm was the last thing she wanted to be. She fished through her purse in search of the small paper bag she kept the ring in. It had taken everything within her to take it off in the first place and yet staring at it sparkling in the dim light of her parents' driveway she knew what had to be done.

* * *

><p>The bell above the door at Luke's chimed as she took a cautious step inside. Lorelai hated feeling like she was going into enemy territory but considering the way they had left things last time and what she'd come to do it was understandable.<p>

"Lorelai," Caesar said, drying his hands on a dishtowel as he walked out of the kitchen. "I didn't turn the sign yet but I just closed up. I can make you something quick to go if you'd like?"

She winced, clutching the brown paper bag even tighter. "I'm actually here to see Luke. Is he still around?"

"He left about an hour ago to pick up his kid from the airport. I guess she's staying here for the weekend. Anyway, is there anything I can do for you?"

Lorelai shook her head. As much as she didn't like the idea of what she was doing the thought of Luke not being there hadn't crossed her mind. "Thanks, but I think I'll come back tomorrow when he's here."

"No prob. See you around." Caesar replied but before he could turn around she called his name. "Yeah?"

She took a deep breath, the weight of the bag and what it contained feeling heavier in her grasp. Keeping the ring suddenly seemed like a good idea despite the fact that she was trying to do the right thing by returning it to Luke.

"Lorelai?"

Caesar's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Could you-could you give this to him? It's not super important but-" Lorelai held the bag in his direction. "I just think he should have it."

He eyed her suspiciously, torn between loyalty to his boss and one of his favorite customers. It wasn't exactly a secret that things were rocky between the two of them but he hoped they'd be able to make everything work. "Got it. Are you sure I can't make you a burger?"

Lorelai laughed, adjusting her purse strap as she gestured to the door. "I should probably go. I've got some stuff at home. Night, Caesar."

* * *

><p>The Dragonfly was bustling with activity the following morning as Rory weaved her way through a crowd near the entrance. "Mom?"<p>

She spotted Michel at the desk. "Hey, is my mom here?"

Michel covered the mouthpiece of the phone with his hand. "I do not know the whereabouts of your mother. Perhaps you should check the kitchen."

Rory sighed and made her way in that direction. She saw Sookie standing in the doorway and hoped she'd get a decent answer this time. "Hey, have you seen my mom?"

"Just a little to the left, Jake. Thanks." Sookie said to an assistant who was arranging a centerpiece on one of the tables before turning her attention to Rory. "Follow me into the kitchen. Sorry, what do you need?"

"My mother. She's not at the house and when I went by Luke's this morning she wasn't there either, not to mention the fact she wasn't at dinner last night. Is she here?" Rory asked, a look of confusion firmly plastered on her face.

"Can you hand me that ladle?" Sookie asked, pointing to one close to where she stood. "She took off a few minutes ago in search of new candleholders. Apparently the ones we have aren't to the bride's liking." She halted her movement as Rory's words finally sank in. "You went to Luke's?"

"Well, I walked by thinking that she'd be inside but I didn't see her. Why wouldn't I go to Luke's?"

"Considering what happened-" Sookie's eyes widened as Rory frowned. "Wait. No. No, no, no. She didn't tell you? Oh no, I shouldn't-" Sookie cried, covering her mouth. She shook her head. "I have to go."

By the time it registered what happened Sookie left the room, causing Rory to feel more puzzled than she had been upon entering the room. "None of this helps me." She cried before reaching for her phone in the hopes that calling her mother would actually help. All she wanted was a reason for why she left dinner before she'd gotten there herself the night before and in the end she had more questions than answers.


	3. Careful Confrontation

**Author's Note: **First of all, I would like to thank Kaylee and Cara for taking the time to leave reviews. The truth is there don't seem to be that many stories out there for us JavaJunkies anymore but it means a lot to know that there is still some interest in our favorite diner owner & his favorite customer.

Seriously though, this one is a little bit shorter than the last two chapters but it has some things that needed to happen before this can move forward. Things only get worse before they get better, right? Anyway, I hope that all of you who put this on alert or who stumble across it enjoy and if you have time, please leave me a review.

* * *

><p>Luke went upstairs with the intention of asking April if she wanted to help in the diner only to find her typing away on her laptop. "Are you doing homework?"<p>

April adjusted her glasses, clicking the 'save' button on the document she had open before closing her laptop and setting it aside. "I was just editing my history paper that's due on Tuesday. My mother agreed that I could come visit you for the weekend as long as I at least studied a little." She offered in reply.

"Right, I just don't want you pushing yourself too hard while you're here." Luke answered before stuffing his hands in his pockets, his right one coming in contact with the paper bag Caesar had handed him that morning. "I came up to ask if you'd maybe wanna help downstairs. Nothing too hard."

April nodded, eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

His hand closed around the bag, its sides crinkling under the pressure of his fingers. Whatever it was had come from Lorelai and he wasn't sure why she'd waited until he was gone to try and give it to him. "Yeah…yeah, um…I think I'll just grab some water before going down to the diner. It's a slow morning anyway."

She watched as he grabbed a glass and walked to the sink. "So what would I be doing?"

Luke took a huge gulp from the glass before setting it on the counter. With his back turned he slipped the bag from his pocket, emptying its contents into his palm. Had he been standing directly over the sink it probably would have fallen down the drain given the way his hand faltered upon seeing Lorelai's ring. Of course. It made sense that she'd give it back given the circumstances.

April, suddenly realizing he hadn't answered her question, quietly shuffled over and caught a glimpse of what he was holding before he had a chance to cover it. "Is that-" April paused, blinking as she processed what she had seen. She and Luke had a chance to grow closer as a father and his daughter but there were still times when she wasn't sure how to react. "I don't understand. Why do you have Lorelai's ring?"

"Because I-" Luke's hand wrapped tightly around the ring, the diamond biting into his palm. "Lorelai and I aren't together anymore. We're not getting married. But you don't need to worry about it, okay? I gotta get back downstairs. Orders to take, you know?"

April wanted to speak; to ask what had happened or at least apologize for poking her nose where it didn't belong. But before she could do either Luke slipped out the door.

* * *

><p>Rory was sitting comfortably on the couch reading when Lorelai burst into the house.<p>

"Where's the fire?"

"What fire?" Rory asked, tossing her book to the side. "I was wondering where you were."

"I was out searching for candleholders because apparently the ones we already have at the Inn just weren't enough." Lorelai replied.

"Okay, so what about last night? You missed dinner." Rory answered. She hated feeling like she was interrogating her mother but at the same time all she wanted was to know what was going on. "Oh, and while we're at it, why does Sookie seem to think I shouldn't be going to Luke's?"

Lorelai's eyes widened as her mouth fell open. "She told you?"

"Told me _what_?" Rory cried.

"I was hoping to get a chance to tell you myself before you heard it from someone else, although considering the way news travels in this town it's a shock I was able to actually walk down the street today and not be questioned." Lorelai replied with a sigh. "Luke and I…we're not together anymore. We broke up."

Rory felt both stunned and frustrated. "What are you talking about? Mom, I know that things haven't been easy between you lately but I know you two can work it out. Maybe I should talk to him."

"No, no. There's no need to do that. What happened isn't quite as fixable this time." Lorelai replied, shuffling her feet before settling on the edge of the couch. Even if she had a worried bride and a concerned friend who was probably up to her ears in things to do waiting back at the Dragonfly there had to be a way to get through the conversation.

Shaking her head, Rory refused to believe there wasn't a way to fix things. "You guys have been through this before, right? You can fix this. Mom?" she waited in the hopes Lorelai would look back at her. "What happened?"

"I wanted to get married." Lorelai was aware of how ridiculous the excuse sounded the moment it left her mouth.

"Did Luke change his mind?" Rory winced as the words left her mouth even though she knew they probably weren't true.

"No. I mean, after everything with April and what you and I have been through, I just thought that we should elope. So I went and I asked him, and then we had this fight in front of the diner. And then I went to see Christopher."

Rory frowned as the words slowly registered along with what they implied. "You can't be serious. Mom. What could possibly make you think going to see Dad after a fight between you and Luke would be a good idea?"

Lorelai ran a tired hand through her hair before standing up and pacing the room. "I don't know. I wanted to talk with someone who'd agree with me?"

"So that's all you did? _Talk_?" Rory asked despite already knowing the answer. "When you and Luke have a problem, you go and talk to Sookie or call me because you know I'm not that far away. Or, better yet, you stay and talk to Luke himself. You don't just…sleep with Dad. And yes, for the record, I am aware of how awkward that just sounded." Rory paused for a beat, catching her breath as she watched Lorelai pacing back and forth. "You know he's going to read more into it than you did. This is how Dad works."

"You think I don't know that? You know he hates Luke not to mention the fact he's already been by here trying to convince me that I did the right thing." Lorelai cried, spinning to face her. For a minute the whole room froze, including Paul Anka who until that moment rolling a ball around on the floor near Rory's feet.

Rory reached down and ruffled his fur to reassure him that everything was fine before turning her attention back to her mother. "I just don't think what happened was a good idea."

Lorelai crossed her arms, halting her pacing just across the room from where her daughter sat. "Are you done?"

"I'm sorry." Rory replied, avoiding her gaze. "Actually, I'm not. You…you do this every time things get hard between you and Luke. You go to Christopher because you think he understands what you're going through when in reality he's just taking advantage of a bad situation."

"Do you honestly believe that thought hasn't crossed my mind? Do you think I'm happy with the fact I wrecked a relationship once again? Because I'm not happy, Rory. I'm not-" Lorelai stopped, teetering somewhere between frustration and panic as she started gasping for air, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm not…"

"Hey," Rory shot up off the couch, enveloping her mother in a tight hug. Even if she was still upset over what happened the fact Lorelai was upset took precedence. "I'm sorry for yelling."

Lorelai waited until they pulled apart to dab at her moistened cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. "You're not telling me anything I didn't need to hear."

Rory smiled sadly before hugging her again. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Do you have a time machine I could borrow?"

Rory sighed, feigning disappointment. "Sorry, I left mine back at school."

Lorelai shrugged, genuinely laughing for the first time in days. For a moment it was easy to forget how much everything had changed.

"Are you going to be okay? I'm supposed to be meeting Lane for lunch soon but I can cancel."

"No, I'm fine. I actually need to get back to work. Other people's happiness is at stake." Lorelai laughed it off but in reality it was probably the worst possible time for her to be running a wedding. The same thought had occurred to Rory, judging by the look on her face. "Seriously, Rory. Go spend time with Lane. I'm fine."

It was a lie, but she was convinced that if she kept telling herself that she was perfectly okay it might one day come true.


	4. It Doesn't Have to be This Way

**Author's Note: **There's not a whole lot that needs to be said this time around. A huge thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. I hope I'm doing the characters justice. That being said, it probably goes without saying that April isn't exactly my favorite character and given the short time we were given to know her it's possible that she's slightly OOC but it still seemed like something she would do. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Lorelai had barely gotten back inside the door after a long day at the Inn when a knock came from behind her. Puzzled, she slipped out of her shoes and went to see who it was. When she spotted the girl standing there she was taken back a little, feeling unsure of what to do. "April. Hi. What are you doing here?"<p>

April apparently caught her glancing out into the yard and shook her head. "He's not here. I decided I had enough of filling salt and pepper shakers for one day so I told him I was taking a walk. Can I come in?"

Lorelai sighed and opened the door further so she could walk by. She wondered what Luke would think if he knew where his daughter had gone. While she didn't think he'd be angry she also didn't think he would be thrilled about the idea.

"I saw the ring. When he was upstairs and he told me what happened, so I suppose my being here doesn't exactly make sense." April offered a shrug, for the first time second guessing whether or not coming was a good idea. She wanted to make things work the way they were supposed to however and the only way she saw for that to work was if they'd get back together. "I realize this probably isn't my business, but he's miserable. Well…more than usual. He yelled at a few customers today for sending their orders back and broke someone's phone."

"Luke broke a phone? I guess whoever that was must've been a newbie." Lorelai mused. She set a hand on April's shoulder and sighed. "Look, April…I appreciate what you're trying to do here. I do, but-"

"I'm glad. Because you should know that I'm not trying to be nosy at all. But if you could just forgive him for whatever it was that he did?" April winced, her voice wavering a little as she asked, hoping for the best. "I know that my coming into the picture didn't exactly help you either."

"Hey, don't say that, okay? What happened was not your fault at all." Lorelai replied. While April being Luke's daughter certainly complicated things she knew it wasn't her fault. Luke had been the one to keep that particular secret from her and though they had gotten past that, it was one thing added to the massive pile of frustrations. "Luke and I broke up and I need you to know that he didn't do anything either. I gave him back the ring because-" Lorelai coughed, both in an attempt to gain some time to come up with a proper response and also to fight the lump that was quickly growing in her throat. "because it was the right thing to do."

April nodded in reply, slowly processing what she'd just heard. "I guess I thought I would come and try and help but I didn't do a very good job of that, huh?"

"Oh, sweetie," Lorelai pulled her would-be stepdaughter into a hug, kissing the top of her head and closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. What happened was no one's fault but her own and that realization caused the guilt inside of her to twist just a little bit tighter. "I wish there was some way to help, but there's not."

April shrugged after the pulled apart. "I should probably get back to the diner before he starts to wonder where I am. Thanks for listening, Lorelai."

"Anytime, kid." Lorelai replied, laughing softly as she held the door open. She opened her mouth; wishing she could tell her that the next time she was in town she should stop by. But the reality that she and Luke weren't together anymore would make that idea somewhat inappropriate. She felt Paul Anka's nose nudging her side and bent down to run a tired hand through his fur.

Rory had called earlier in the day to say that she had plans which meant she wouldn't be home for any sort of dinner. Lorelai sighed rather loudly before shutting the door soundly and giving a sad look at the dog sitting dutifully next to her. "It looks like it's just you and me tonight."

* * *

><p>Rory had been sitting in her car for almost ten minutes before finally deciding to get out and approach the building. She raised her hand to knock only to be met with the door opening.<p>

Chris stood with GiGi at his side, a surprised look on his face. "Rory, hey. You didn't tell me you were coming."

She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and nodded slowly. "I know, I suppose I probably should've."

Chris waited in the hopes she would elaborate. When she didn't he gestured to the open door. "I was about to take GiGi out for something to eat, but I guess it can wait a few minutes. Unless you want to come with us?"

"No, I shouldn't. The truth is-" Rory closed her eyes, going over what she planned to say in her head. "I just came to tell you something. I need to say it before I forget or, you know, lose the courage because it really needs to be said."

Watching as GiGi planted herself firmly on the floor, the standing and waiting becoming too much for her tiny legs, Chris furrowed his brow and wondered what it was that made his older daughter sound so serious. That is, until the thought occurred to him of what it just might be about. "Your mother told you, didn't she?"

"Why wouldn't she? I can't believe you. She and Luke had just broken up. What you did was-" Rory shook her head, stepping back her anger a little bit due to the child sitting innocently off to the side. "I know that you've had this ridiculous fantasy in your head of you and mom getting back together and everything working perfectly, but that has got to stop."

"Oh, so this is my entire fault, huh? Lorelai made a choice when she came to see me that night. Everyone in that town paints me out to be some kind of villain, but that is not who I am. You know that, don't you?"

Rory hesitated, unsure of how to respond. It was true that very few people in Stars Hollow looked upon him favorably but that wasn't exactly without a good reason. "I just need you to stay away from her. Stop calling. Stop making visits. I know that you want a relationship with the both of us, but you're only going to get me."

It wasn't the first time she had said something of the sort but this time he knew she meant it. "I don't know what you expect me to say, Rory. Your mother is a grown woman. She can take care of herself."

"I know that. What I also know is that you have a habit of taking advantage of her when she hits low points. I'm being completely serious here. If you still want to be a part of my life then you need to stop trying to be a part of hers." Rory replied, her words sounding emotional yet determined at the same time. "I have to go." Awkwardly, she shuffled her feet and adjusted her purse strap, aware of how awkward the reverse of roles was between them. "Enjoy your meal."

* * *

><p>The rest of the weekend proved to be uneventful. While Rory was still obviously upset over her and Luke's break up Lorelai was also grateful to see she wasn't allowing it to affect their relationship. They watched movies and ordered take out, and for the most part everything felt the same, minus one Luke shaped hole in their lives.<p>

For a Monday evening the aisles of Doose's were fairly empty, save for a few customers admiring the produce and Taylor himself at the register. Lorelai was grateful for the silence as she mulled over choices on the shelf until she heard the sound of footsteps behind her.

"Hi," Luke breathed out slowly upon recognizing who was there. "I wasn't following you or anything. I just, you know, April was here this weekend so my groceries were kind of eaten. I just came to pick up a few things."

Lorelai nodded and pointed at the basket in his hand. "I can see that."

Luke laughed nervously, moving a hand to massage the back of his neck. "I guess I didn't have to say all of that, did I?"

"It's okay, I get it. Rory was here this weekend too." Lorelai replied, holding up her own basket. "I'm just here to pick up a couple things, too. What a coincidence, huh?"

Luke nodded, almost telling her the cookies and buttered popcorn she had weren't exactly what she needed before remembering it wasn't his place anymore. "Yeah. Small world."

Lorelai reached for a can of something on the shelf, her eyes scanning the label but not really processing what it said. Luke was standing a few feet away; he was so close she could practically touch him, and yet there still seemed to be a huge gap keeping them apart. It was a gap she had put there herself. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him debating over loaves of bread and she wanted so badly to say something but was at a loss of knowing what it needed to be.

He caught her looking in his direction and darted his eyes away, grabbing the first loaf of bread they came in contact with before turning on his heel to leave.

"Luke?" Lorelai called. It was one last, pathetic attempt at getting him to say in the same place she was a few seconds longer. "Is it always going to be this awkward? Because if it is, I need to know. Maybe we can work out some schedule, like you can shop on odd days of the week and I can get the even ones."

"You don't have to do that." Luke replied, shaking his head. He watched as she fidgeted, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth and had to tighten his grip on the basket he held to keep from reaching out to her. "I don't think it'll always be this way. We just need to give it time."

"How much time?" Lorelai asked, feeling guilty for even posing the question. She was keeping him longer than necessary and she knew it but that didn't stop her from wanting to.

Luke shrugged before casting a glance around the store to make sure no one was watching them. The last thing he wanted was for their relationship to become more street corner gossip than it already was. "I don't know. Time enough for me to not be angry. Time enough for you to be happy again."

Lorelai nodded, pointedly avoiding the look she knew he was giving her. The idea that he still cared despite everything she'd done to hurt him made her want to cry.

"You should probably go. Your ice cream is melting." Luke offered. He knew she needed an exit and he was giving it to her.

Lorelai smiled sadly in understanding before holding her hand out in his direction. "Friends?"

Her hand felt warm and familiar but it still burned to feel her fingers squeezing tightly against his. "Yeah," Luke answered, the word tasting bitter in his mouth. "friends."


	5. Falling Apart at the Seams

**Author's Note: **The final scene of this chapter has been in my head since I started thinking of doing a chapter seven story so I'm hoping that you all enjoy it. The truth is, I really do want them to get to a happy place before too long, but there's a little bit of angst to get through first. That's one of the things they do best, right? Anyway, thank you so much to those who have bene reading and reviewing. It means a lot.

Also, if there's anything specific you'd like to see just let me know and I'll try and work it in.

* * *

><p>The majority of the morning rush was over, save for a few people finishing their meals, which left Luke with not much else to do other than pretending to listen to Kirk. Whatever he was talking about he seemed particularly interested in so he knew he should actually try and pay attention but it was proving difficult.<p>

"I'm just saying, Luke. Improving the menu could probably help boost the number of customers-"

"What? Kirk, my menu is fine-" Luke paused upon hearing the bell above the door sound off. He immediately stiffened upon seeing who it was. "Get out."

Kirk frowned, clearly confused. "But I'm still eating, Luke. I haven't even paid yet."

"Not you," Luke replied and had he not been annoyed he probably would have laughed at the way Kirk sighed in relief.

"What, a guy can't order a cup of coffee?" Christopher asked, feigning innocence.

Luke snorted. "That's what you want, _coffee_?"

Christopher watched as Luke ripped the carafe from where it was sitting on a warmer and pulled a styrofoam cup from a stack. He poured coffee into it, causing some to splash over the edge and scald his hand before sliding it across he counter. "I can't even get a lid?"

"I'm sure they have lids at other places. Go ahead, it's on the house." Luke replied, shrugging as if it was nothing. He looked down at his hand and the bright red spot he was trying to pretend didn't burn at the moment. If he could just get the jerk out of the diner he'd be able to better assess how much damage had been done. "Or, better yet, you can cut all the crap and tell me what you're really here for."

Christopher nodded before calming taking a sip of the steaming liquid. "Right. I'm sure you'd love that."

Kirk, downing the last few bites of his pancakes, waved his fork in Christopher's direction. "He's probably here because of Lorelai. I mean, it's no secret that-"

"Shut up!" they chimed in unison, which was probably one of the few things they would ever agree on.

Startled, Kirk shoved a few bills in Luke's direction before darting out the door. As interested as he might have been in what would happen, the last thing he wanted was to be caught in the middle.

"He's right though, you know. Lorelai. And Rory. You turned my daughter against me, man. You just can't do that." Christopher sighed, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked, already regretting the question. He knew there wouldn't be any getting rid of Christopher if he didn't at least let him have his say.

"Rory. She came by my place yesterday telling me I was wrong and that I needed to stay away from Lorelai." Christopher replied, slowly, as if Luke couldn't fit the pieces together. He took another large gulp from the cup, wincing as it went down. It was scalding hot but he wasn't about to admit that. "I can't do that and I think you know why. She's the mother of my daughter so if there's the slightest chance that we can make this work I have to take it."

Luke gripped the counter, trying very hard to not let his anger show. The last thing he wanted was for the other man to know he was getting to him. "Get out."

Christopher shook his head, too stubborn to drop the subject. "No, see, I've done some thinking and I realize that maybe I shouldn't have gone about things the way that I did. But that doesn't change the fact that you two are broken up now. You're no good for her, Luke. You have to let her go."

Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the burn on his hand still painful but being ignored for a moment. "You have two seconds to leave that door. If not I will escort you out myself, but that will come with a few bumps and scratches. So which way will it be?"

Christopher sighed dramatically, making a clucking noise with his tongue before downing the last of the coffee and slamming the cup against the counter. "I was just trying to make you realize the truth," he replied before shrugging his shoulders. "And yeah, thanks for the coffee. It's a little too hot though."

Despite the nearly overwhelming urge to punch him in the face (again), Luke kept his cool, waiting to look back up until he was sure Christopher had left. He winced, regretting the way he'd carelessly poured the coffee, knowing how hot it would be.

"You might want to put some ice on that." Miss Patty quipped from a table nearby. How she'd managed to slip in unnoticed he couldn't be sure but judging by her comment she'd been there long enough to witness what happened.

"Yeah." Luke sighed as he heard more customers walk in. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>Bright, sunny afternoons weren't meant to be spent in an office or idly standing by in the event someone needed help. At least that was what Sookie told Lorelai before ushering her out the door. With most of their guests out traveling for the day they were left with little to do. It was this that prompted her to rope her friend into a trip elsewhere for lunch. She wasn't actually hungry herself but if it meant possibly helping Lorelai break out of the mood she was in Sookie didn't mind.<p>

"I'm just saying, don't you think it's a little weird that she hasn't called me? She ended up leaving early to see Logan, which I totally get, but I just feel like it's more than that." Lorelai mused, downing the last of the milkshake she ordered with lunch before tossing the cup into a trash bin. She and Sookie—well, to be fair it was mostly her decision, because once Sookie had gotten her out of the Dragonfly she found she wanted to stay away at least a little while longer—had decided walking around town and window-shopping before heading back to work was a good idea.

"I don't know. Maybe she's just busy?" Sookie offered, hoping that it would help.

"That's true. It just doesn't seem like it though. It almost feels like she's avoiding me." Lorelai replied before stopping in her tracks. She knew she was supposed to look away but couldn't.

"I hate to say this, but you don't think it could be because she's still angry about what happened between you and Christopher, do you?" Sookie asked. She stopped walking the second Lorelai did but had yet to piece together what made her stop. When she noticed where they had stopped and what was going on inside however, it was easy to tell.

A blond woman wearing a black skirt and suit jacket was sitting at the counter and Luke was nodding enthusiastically at whatever she was saying. Her body was turned so only a part of her face was showing but at least part of a smile was visible. Though they were outside and couldn't hear what was being said it was obvious that the two were in agreement about something.

Lorelai shook her head slowly back and forth, wanting so badly to tear her eyes away but feeling unable to at the same time. "Unbelievable."

"Come on," Sookie said, placing a hand firmly on her shoulder and pushing her forward. "let's keep walking."

Lorelai complied, only to crane her head back in an attempt to get a better look at the woman. "Okay, if you think that's best."

"Oh trust me, I do. Come on, Lorelai. Keep up."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was a blur. Lorelai answered a few guest complaints and helped host a ladies' luncheon but could never get her mind to truly focus on work. No matter what she tried setting her attention on she kept going back to what she saw happening in the diner. Or, perhaps more importantly, her reaction to what she saw.<p>

There had to be a perfectly logical reason for Luke acting so friendly towards a woman she'd never seen before, right?

That was when the guilt settled in. Even if his reasons for talking with the woman weren't entirely innocent it wasn't as if she was allowed to get jealous anymore. They had broken up and he was moving on. It was to be expected, wasn't it?

Whether it was or not, Lorelai had continued with her day, unable to put the incident out of her mind. She made a promise to herself to forget about it on the way home only to find herself standing outside of Luke's, debating on whether or not she should go inside.

Luke was in the storeroom when he heard the door open. He walked out, prepared to kindly but firmly insist the person leave. "I guess I must've forgotten to turn the sign. Listen, I just closed up." He saw Lorelai standing there and frowned in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

She held up her hands, hoping to ward off any anger. "I didn't come here to talk or to argue with you, or even to get my stuff back from your apartment which would be a perfectly valid reason for coming by the way. I just wanted to ask you a question."

Luke waited in the hopes she would elaborate. "Okay. What did you wanna ask?"

"To be honest I didn't exactly plan this out. I mean, I was on my way home from the Inn and all I could think about is what I saw, or maybe what I thought I saw. I don't know. The point-" Lorelai paused and took a breath, scared of how many emotions were coursing through her and wishing she had a better handle on them, at least where he was concerned. "I guess, that is, the point that I'm trying to make is that I don't get it."

"Don't get what?" Luke asked, clearly confused.

"How is it so easy for you?" Lorelai cried, for the first time voicing what had been the source of her frustration all afternoon. "I get that I hurt you by sleeping with Christopher. I understand that there were better ways I could have dealt with things between you and me, and that by doing what I did I ended our relationship. I get that, okay? But what I don't get is how on earth moving on from us is so easy for you."

"Lorelai," Luke sighed and walked closer to where she was standing, the look of confusion still plastered firmly on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lorelai shook her head, running a stressed hand through her hair as tears started spilling over onto her cheeks. She had promised him she would stay away and she'd broken that promise like so many other things. "Do you think this is easy for me? Luke, it is taking everything inside of me to not fall apart. To not break despite breaking us apart. I hate what I did to you, but for me to just be walking down the street and see you pouring coffee and standing so close to some blond bimbo who clearly doesn't know how to dress appropriately for this time of year so soon after breaking off our engagement is just a little hard to take."

Everything clicked together and suddenly at least a part of her rant started to make sense. "That woman you so kindly referred to as a _bimbo_? She is an insurance agent. I had a meeting with her to try and see if I can get a better deal for the diner. She mentioned that she had a long ride back to her office, so I offered her a coffee before she left."

"Oh." Lorelai replied, too stunned and embarrassed to say much else. "I guess I didn't exactly help my case much there, did I? I'm sorry, I should go."

"You don't have to apologize. I mean, I'm sure it was probably easy for you to come to that conclusion." Luke offered. Even if it wasn't entirely true he at least wanted her to feel a little better about it.

Lorelai wiped furiously at her tears before slowly backing up towards the door. "No, I'm just being crazy, right?"

"It hasn't been easy for me either, you know." Luke said. It was making himself vulnerable but she deserved to know.

She laughed, mostly in an attempt to break the tension, before noticing the bandage he had wrapped around his hand. "What happened?"

"Oh, this?" Luke asked, gestured to the hand he had wrapped up. While it probably would have been the right thing to tell her what happened—that Christopher had showed up being his usual arrogant, jerky self—but that was the last thing either of them needed. "It's nothing. Just burned myself earlier. Figured it was best to patch it up but it should be better tomorrow morning."

Lorelai studied him, not entirely believing his story, but knowing better than to push the subject. "Good. You can't keep being the best diner owner in town with something like that literally on your hand. Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It's okay." Luke assured her. A silence settled between them and even if he had things to do in wrapping up the day he couldn't bring himself to pull away.

"Right, well I should be going, now that I've made an even worse mess of things." Lorelai replied. She wanted to salvage whatever was left of her composure before he was witness to her falling further apart. "I'll try and keep my promise this time. Goodbye, Luke."


	6. Keep On Keeping On

**Author's Note: **Apologies for taking a little while longer to get this chapter up. This week turned out to be busier than expected and I didn't want to rush through and put something up that wasn't something I felt comfortable with. Anyway, there isn't too much going on in this chapter but it brings things closer to where we'd like them to be. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you so much for reading!

* * *

><p>Emily sat at a table in the dining room of the Dragonfly, waving a pen through the air as she glanced over a checklist she'd prepared for her meeting with Lorelai, wanting to make sure nothing was missed.<p>

"We've been over all of this already. The banquet isn't even for another three weeks, so can you remind me why we're doing it now?" Lorelai sighed, resting her palm against her cheek. As grateful as she was that her mother actually appreciated the Inn and wanted to use it for the event, the idea that she had to cater to her mother's every whim was growing very tiring.

"The ladies at the DAR want only the best and I assured them that everything would work accordingly. Now, have we made a decision for-"

Just as Emily was posing her question Michel's voice came loudly from the other room. "I am telling you, Lorelai is extremely busy and is not to be bothered at this moment. Perhaps you could call her later and work something out."

Emily frowned, a look of clear confusion on her face. "Whatever is that man blathering about?"

"I don't know," Lorelai replied, somewhat relieved for the brief reprieve as she started walking in Michel's direction. "But I'm about to find out."

Expecting a difficult customer or perhaps someone who was simply unlucky enough to evoke Michel's wrath, Lorelai rounded the corner only to stop dead in her tracks. "Christopher?"

He turned, a look of relief flooding his features. "Lor, hey. I was trying to get in touch with you but this…man, he wouldn't let me get any further than past the door."

"With good reason." Lorelai quipped before gripping his arm quite tightly and pulling him off to the side. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping we could get a chance to talk. Maybe grab some lunch?" Christopher shrugged, as if the idea was the most natural thing in the world. "I know I was coming on pretty strong before and I wanted to apologize. I just wanted to get a chance to set some things straight."

"What could there possibly be to say that hasn't already been said?" Lorelai cried, running a stressed hand through her hair. She glanced in the direction of the dining room, knowing full well there was at least a possibility Emily could've overheard who had arrived and was likely conjuring in her mind potential scenarios of what the conversation was about. "Come, follow me."

"Outside?" Christopher whined, yanking his arm from her grip as she pulled him out onto the porch. "If this is about what I said to Luke-"

Lorelai's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "You talked to Luke? When did this happen?"

"A couple of days ago." Christopher replied. "Now, can you please just listen, or do you plan on dragging me all the way out to my car?"

"I'll probably regret saying this, but I'll listen. What is so important that you had to show up where I work in the middle of the day wanting to talk?" Lorelai crossed her arms, unsure of what to expect but preparing for the worst.

Christopher stuffed one hand in his pocket and nodded slowly, expecting the cold shoulder he was getting but hoping he could change her mind. "I know that the way I've been going about trying to win you over has been wrong. I've done things and said things in the past that have hurt you, and I want you to know that I'm sorry. I haven't always done the right thing but I've changed now. The truth is, when you came to me that night it meant a lot to me. It showed me that when everything is falling apart we can always find a common ground together. You and me."

Lorelai tapped her foot against the porch floor, leaning against the railing. She wanted to be done with the conversation but felt like she at least owed him the chance to finish his argument, regardless of how ridiculous it was. "Are you done?"

"All I've been doing for the past few weeks is trying to tell you that we're good together. But I understand now that it was wrong. What I need to do is show you."

"_Show_ me?" Lorelai exclaimed. "And, out of some sick sense of curiosity, I'm curious as to how you plan to do that?"

"Come to dinner with me." Christopher replied with a shrug of his shoulders. He was putting himself on the line but knew it was the only way to try and make Lorelai see his point of view.

Lorelai rubbed at her temple, trying desperately hard to keep the headache she felt approaching at bay. "Okay, so you know how in scary movies dramatic music always starts playing right before something bad happens? You know, like some blond college chick is all "Oh, let me just go check that sound outside in my underwear" and even though you yell at her not to do it she goes out the door anyway. So, you know, the music starts building and that's your cue. You think "Well, maybe I was wrong this time…oh wait, creepy violin music" and then bam. She gets hit over the head with a…I don't know, a lead pipe or something."

"What's your point?" Christopher asked.

"I hear that music every time I think of what we'd be like together."

"What? Lor, please don't be like this." Christopher pleaded.

She held up her hands in defense. "Okay, first of all? It's _Lorelai_. Secondly, I have a job to do, so if you'll excuse me-"

"I made a mistake in coming here, didn't I?" Christopher asked, at long last seeing the truth.

"You figured that out, Sherlock?" Lorelai quipped. The hurt look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed. Sighing, she averted her gaze, kicking a pebble down the steps with her shoe. "We've been through this before, Chris. We work for a little while but then everything blows up in our faces. I think it's best to just cut our losses but apparently you refuse to accept that."

"What do you want me to say? That I'm happy about it? Because I think you already know I'm not." Christopher replied. He could've stayed and tried to fight his case even longer but knew it wouldn't work.

"Yeah," Lorelai laughed it off, fully aware that she'd hurt him but unable to find it within her to care. "I have to go back inside now and think of an excuse to explain to my mother why I just left without an explanation, so you should probably go."

"Emily's here?" Christopher asked, surprised at the idea mother and daughter would be in the same place peacefully.

Lorelai frowned before nodding her head. "I guess that means she didn't send you. Hmm. Well, I'd apologize but I think we both know I wouldn't mean it."

Christopher nodded regretfully before heading for his car. Even if it meant admitting that he was wrong he had to let go.

Lorelai turned for the door, taking a deep breath before walking back inside. She was surprised to see Emily standing next to the front desk. "You don't want to continue the meeting?"

"I think it's clear that you have other issues to deal with at the moment." Emily replied. She held her planning book close to her chest and offered a smile. "I suppose I should be going now."

As grateful as Lorelai might have been for her not bringing up Christopher by name, much less not inquiring what their conversation was about, she couldn't help but wonder what it was that made her decide leaving was a good idea. "Mom, I carved out almost all morning because you insisted that it was critical to have this thing planned out for you and the ladies at the DAR. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something. I suppose I could just call you early next week to figure everything else out. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be going."

"But-" Lorelai stood, feeling somewhere between confused and annoyed as Emily left. "I meant it. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I have a few confirmation calls you could make. Unless of course you are simply too busy talking to yourself." Michel offered from his spot behind the desk.

She spun to face him, only pretending to consider his offer. "On second thought, I should probably see what Sookie's up to in the kitchen."

* * *

><p>By the time Lorelai got home that night it was dark. Feeling more upbeat due to not having to visit her parents for dinner due to a prior engagement they had, she grew even happier upon seeing Rory's car parked when she pulled into the drive. Though they'd talked and seen each other a few times since she told her about the demise of her relationship with Luke and the cause of it, things had never truly felt the same. She knew Rory was on her side regardless of what happened but couldn't help thinking she'd been trying to avoid her ever since finding out what happened.<p>

"Hey, did I know you were coming home?"

Rory looked up from her spot on the couch where she was reading and shrugged her shoulders. "I might've mentioned it in passing but probably not."

"You're not spending time with Logan this weekend?" Lorelai asked. "Not that I'm complaining. I mean, you are my favorite daughter and all."

Rory tossed her book to the side and went to give her a hug. "I'm your only daughter. As far as Logan goes, he had to take a trip with his dad this weekend. I'm a bit gray on the details but he should be back Monday."

Lorelai started pulling her in close before stopping, catching the scent of something suspicious in the air. "Wait," she leaned in, breathing in deep with her nose before her eyes widened upon realizing her suspicions were correct.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Rory asked as she followed her into the kitchen. She started catching on when Lorelai lifted the lid to the trash can, clearly in search of something. "I can explain."

Lorelai held up a white take out bag. "What is this?"

"It looks like a bag to me."

"No. No, no. This, my daughter, is something that I like to call _evidence._" Lorelai replied, eying her warily. "Rory, did you go to Luke's?"

"I might have. But like I said, I can explain. Not that I should have to." Rory replied defiantly. "Lane lent me a cd to listen to the last time I was here so I wanted to give it back. I was waiting outside of Luke's for her because she was helping him out today, and when she came out to see me she had a burger and fries in a bag. What was I supposed to do, not eat it?"

"No. No one sees a burger from Luke's and refuses to eat it." Lorelai replied before sighing and tossing the bag back into the trash. She sat down at the table, sighing dramatically. "I don't even remember the last time I ate one. Is that sad?"

Rory sat opposite of her, unsure of where the conversation was headed. "No, it's not sad. You still haven't spoken to him?"

"Oh, I have. In a rather embarrassing moment that I'd rather not talk about, but maybe that's the problem. I promised I would keep my distance but there are all of these excuses or legitimate accidents in which we end up in the same place together. Why does this keep happening?" Lorelai asked, only to be interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that if you keep thinking about it you'll never get anything to eat. I could try and see if Lane could sneak out another burger if you want?" Rory offered. She didn't know if it would work but if trying would make Lorelai's spirits lift it was a risk she was willing to take.

"No, that would be like tempting fate. I'll just order a pizza. Do you want some?" Lorelai jumped up from her chair, already rooting through a stack of menus when Rory came up behind her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Lorelai held out two different menus in her direction. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she'd ever be 'fine' but she knew she had to try. "I don't know. I'm trying to be. Here, pick a place. I'll go grab the phone."


	7. Let The Rain

**Author's Note: **I fully intended to have this up sooner but unfortunately real life got in the way. Classes are starting up tomorrow but I will get the next chapter up as soon as posisble. There's not a whole lot going on in this one and it really could have gone on longer but I decided to leave it where it is, essentially meaning the next one acts as a "part two" of sorts. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you have to go?" Lorelai asked as she followed Rory out to her car. She had stayed the whole weekend, making it a true Gilmore one to say the least with plenty of junk food and movies but it was Monday morning and classes beckoned. "Do you want another coffee for the road?"<p>

Rory placed her bags in the backseat before turning to face her mother. She pointed to a mug sitting firmly in the cup holder. "I've already had two and I've got this one here. I think I have more than enough to last me."

"Silly daughter," Lorelai mused and Rory shut the car door and rolled down her window. "I thought you would've realized by now there's no such thing as too much coffee."

She knew she was being selfish; Rory had class and in actuality should've left the night before but Lorelai missed having company and therefore wanted to hang on to the happiness they'd shared all weekend.

Rory must've noticed her mother's behavior because she offered a smile, hoping it was reassuring enough, before putting her car in reverse. "I'll grab an extra one on the way?"

It wasn't the real issue and they both knew that but it was helpful just the same. "You'd better."

Lorelai watched Rory pull away before realizing that she too needed to get ready and leave. Another Monday at the Inn wasn't what she really wanted but if throwing herself back into work would help break her away from the depressive cloud she'd been under ever since she and Luke broke things off she'd have to do it. Upon feeling a few drops hit her cheeks Lorelai gazed up at the sky and sighed, knowing that it would soon rain but hoping she'd be able to make the trek to the Dragonfly before it started.

As luck would have it she wouldn't get her wish. Halfway there the clouds fell open and thunder started rolling. It was only a light rain for the time being but it didn't appear to be letting up so she turned on the radio in an effort to drown the sound out but it was to no avail.

Seconds later, the jeep hit a bump in the road and started shaking. Smoke started seeping out from under the hood. She hit the dashboard, knowing it would do no good but hoping just the same. "No. No, no, no. Please don't do this. Be my friend this time, okay? Just a little bit longer and we'll be there."

As soothing as her words might have been they obviously didn't work. The jeep started sputtering and she had no choice but to pull over. She peered out the windshield, desperately trying to look for a break in the clouds. The rain was little more than a sprinkle and though it probably wouldn't do any good she jumped out to see if she could assess the damage. In the back of her mind she knew she needed to call somebody and though one name came to mind there was no way she'd allow herself to do that. Calling Luke would only bring more trouble. The last thing she wanted was to drag the awkward phase they were in out any longer.

"Really?" Lorelai whined as she started to assess the damage. Smoke was still pouring out from under the hood so she closed her eyes, coughing as she waved a hand to blow it away. "Is this karma? Is this—is this some sort of cosmic payback? Because really, I have learned my lesson. I'm _trying_, I swear I am. What do I have to do to make you work?" Lorelai cried before kicking the tire, only to wince and jump backwards in pain.

She looked up just in time to see a familiar vehicle pulling over behind hers. "You have got to be kidding."

"Need some help?" Luke yelled through his window. He'd seen her hollering at the sky, kicking tires and most likely on the verge of tears rant but wasn't about to admit it, mostly because it was the exact opposite of what she needed at the moment.

"No, I just figured it was a good idea to stop on the side of the road and try giving myself a broken toe." Lorelai quipped, torn between being relieved to see him and frustrated that once again they ended up in the same place without intending to. "Are you gonna get out and help or not?"

Luke held back a laugh at her obvious frustration before striding over in hopes of providing assistance. "How long have you been out here?"

"Long enough for the rain to soak through my shoes," Lorelai replied, rocking back on her heels as she watched Luke open the hood. She waited while he assessed the damage in the hopes he'd offer something reassuring. "What are you doing out this way? Shouldn't you be at the diner?"

"I needed to go pick up some supplies. Then I just happened to see a crazy woman talking to herself on the side of the road so I figured I'd stop and help."

Lorelai sighed and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Then you should go. I'll call Gypsy or somebody else. You shouldn't have to help me. Here, let me-"

"Can you go get my tools? There should be a box of them in the back of my truck. Oh, and the flashlight from the glove box." Luke interrupted, mostly out of the need to finish whatever help he could give before the storm picked up but also because the last thing he wanted was to hash things out while on the side of the road.

Lorelai opened the passenger side door to his truck and opened the glove box, intending to find the flashlight and get done with the awkward situation they were in as soon as possible. It wasn't until she started sifting through everything that her hand closed around something else. Puzzled, she pulled the object into the light to see what it was. _Of course_. She didn't have to open the ring box to know she'd find the one she gave back to him in it. It made sense that he'd put it back in the box and take it back to the store, so the only question remained why he hadn't done so already. Her fingers flexed around it; the weight settled heavily in her palm.

"What's taking so long?" Luke called, breaking her from her thoughts.

Hastily, she tossed the ring box inside the glove compartment before grabbing the flashlight and his toolbox.

Luke eyed her warily before taking the flashlight and setting the toolbox on the ground. "You okay?"

Lorelai cleared her throat before gesturing to the jeep, wanting attention to not be on her. "What do you think happened?"

"I dunno. I'll try and figure out, but considering the way this sky is acting we might want to wait if it's anything serious." Luke replied before turning and getting to work.

She stared at him, losing herself in a train of thought. The way he was so willingly helping her not to mention the fact he'd just said "we" rather than "I" or "you" made it seem like the most natural situation in the world. Like her truck wasn't stranded on the side of the road or that her ex-fiance' wasn't the one responsible for helping her or that he wouldn't even be an 'ex' had it not been for her own actions. Or so many other things that she didn't want to think about. She wasn't sure how long they had been standing there before she realized Luke had turned towards her and was speaking, which was probably a sign that she needed to pay attention.

"That should do it. At least until you get back into town but I think you do wanna make sure Gypsy checks it out. There's a bigger issue but as long as you don't plan on going on any long trips you should be fine until then."

Lorelai nodded, gripping her hands together tightly as she fought for words that wouldn't come. "Luke, I don't know how to thank you."

Luke shrugged, wiping off his hands on his jeans. "You don't have to. I just tightened a few things up, you know-"

"Luke," she interrupted before offering a smile. "I mean it. Thank you."

"Oh. Well, we said we'd be friends and helping each other out like this is something friends do, right?" Luke asked, knowing his words were weak even as he spoke them.

"Right. Right, that is something that friends do." Lorelai replied. She fought down the lump that was growing in her throat. Even if she meant it that didn't make her words hurt any less. When he didn't move to go she cleared her throat, kicking at the wet grass with her non-injured foot, wanting to drag the moment out longer and ending it before it got more complicated at the same time.

"You said you were going to the Dragonfly, right? I could…I could just follow you there, you know, make sure everything works out?" Luke offered.

"Oh, Luke. Don't feel like you have to do that. I mean, you have your own plans don't you?"

Luke shrugged before picking up his toolbox and shutting the jeep's hood. "Yeah but where you're going isn't too far out of the way."

"You're going to follow me even if I tell you not to aren't you?" Lorelai guessed.

"That's not weird is it? It's just that you never know what could happen out here." Luke replied. He genuinely wanted to help which he hoped would make it seem like he was okay with things as they were even if he wasn't.

She opened her mouth, hoping to crack some useless but still amusing joke only to find that nothing came to mind. The fact Luke still had her ring even though he'd apparently put it back in the box coupled with the fact he seemed like he really was worried about her getting to work okay made a mess of her emotions. "So I should probably get going before Sookie starts wondering where I am. Thanks, Luke."

She pushed the hair out of her face both in attempt to look more composed and as an excuse to wipe tears away.

Luke nodded, pretending he didn't catch her move. "Anytime."


	8. Two Steps Forward

True to his word, Luke followed the Jeep at a respectable distance until Lorelai arrived at the Inn safely. She wasn't entirely sure what it was he'd done to fix it but her trusty truck made the trek without much of a hitch. She'd still have Gypsy check it out because there was never any telling if something else was going on.

"Hey, you're late-" Sookie began as Lorelai made her way into the kitchen, visibly frustrated. "Oh. What happened?"

"You could say that." Lorelai replied as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She brought the cup to her lips, taking a healthy gulp before speaking. "I don't know. I just feel like the hits keep coming, you know? Like there's some sort of magnet that pulls awkward situations in my direction."

Sookie sighed, casting a sympathetic look in her direction as she made her way around one of the assistant cooks with a bowl full of fruit. "What happened this time?"

"Coincidence. Fate. I don't know but I said goodbye to Rory this morning and then was on my way here when the sky decided to fall open. Which, you know, would have been enough as it was. But then the jeep decided to break down." Lorelai paused, taking another sip from the steaming mug in her hand.

"Is it okay? How did you get here?" Sookie asked, momentarily stopping her slicing.

"Oh, that," Lorelai laughed it off like it was nothing despite the fact she'd been replaying their conversation in her head since it happened. "Luke. He um…he was driving to get some supplies or something. I don't completely understand but anyway, he was able to help. And then he followed me here."

"Well, you can't exactly say you're surprised by that, right? I mean even if you two are broken up the guy is still crazy about you."

Lorelai laughed, setting her mug down on the counter. "I don't know, Sookie. I just wish it wasn't this hard. It would be so much easier if he just hated me."

Sookie was about to respond when one of the cooks came up with a dish for her to test.

"What's all this for? Did we have a meeting I've forgotten about?" Lorelai asked, wracking her mind as she tried to think about something she'd missed.

"Fantastic," she told the cook before turning her attention back to her friend. "The mother of the bride for the wedding we have this weekend called and said she changed her mind on one of the main courses. This is me trying to cater to their wants. Here, try it."

Lorelai nodded, taking a bite before offering the cook thanks. It was a brief reprieve from the chaos that cluttered her mind—like the fact Luke still had the ring or the fact that he'd so easily helped her despite everything that had happened.

* * *

><p>"I know you were here last weekend, but what do you mean you aren't coming until tomorrow? I might forget all the great stuff that happens tonight before then and oh, let me tell you, something pretty interesting will happen." Lorelai whispered harshly as she made her way into the back of the room just before the town meeting was about to start. She nodded at someone who let her pass with the bag she'd stopped to pick up on the way home. " And then for years people here in Stars Hollow will be all…uh…"hey, remember that really great thing we talked about in the town meeting that one time?" and you, my precious daughter, will be forced to say something like "Oh, no. I was lame because I had a test the next morning that I had to study for."<p>

"I'm sorry mom; if there was any way I could come sooner you know I would. Just tell me the most important parts tomorrow night at dinner, okay?" Rory asked.

Lorelai sat down and between Rory's words could hear Taylor and Kirk arguing about something in the front of the room. "Oh honey, I gotta go. The fireworks are about to start."

"So you're saying I can't park my bike inside your store?" Kirk asked, a confused expression on his face. "Taylor, the chances of it being stolen are incredibly greater if I park it outside. I'll tell you what; I'll make you a deal. You let me park it inside, and should I knock over the orange display like I did last week then I promise you I'll pick it up before they have a chance to roll across the floor and risk people getting hurt."

"Absolutely not, Kirk. You can park it on the curb just like everyone else." Taylor replied before dismissing him with the wave of his hand. "I suppose this brings us to the next item of business. Fall is quickly approaching and we'll need to set out a proper schedule for decorations. All businesses will need to participate this year. Which reminds me, since everyone's favorite diner owner apparently couldn't make it tonight-" Taylor winced and shrugged his shoulders, clearly annoyed at Luke yet again missing a town meeting in which his opinion would've been needed. "I suppose his vote won't count."

Soon afterward a parade of townspeople stood and suggested ideas for a theme for the businesses on the street to decorate with, but it was at that point Lorelai let her mind wander. To the fact she'd have the house to herself a little bit longer than planned. To the chocolate frosted cake sitting in a bag from the bakery at her feet. To the fact that, despite the week that had passed, she couldn't let herself forget the fact that Luke still had her ring, even if it didn't actually mean anything in the grand scheme of it all.

Eventually the crowd started filtering out, breaking her from her thoughts. She knew enough to realize that she'd raised her hand a few times to vote for things but she had no recollection of what she'd agreed to. With nothing left to do, Lorelai picked up the cake and headed home.

* * *

><p><p>

"Could you believe her? The way she went on and on about the wrong sauce on the roasted duck I thought we'd never get out of there. Or worse, actually have to eat it." Lorelai groaned as she and Rory made their way into the house.

Due in part to a lack of studies after her exam and also a healthy dose of guilt-tripping from her mother Rory decided to come home for the weekend and was happier because of it. She set the pizza box they'd picked up on the way home on the coffee table before shrugging off her jacket. "I don't know about that. So, which one are we watching first?"

Lorelai rifled through the pile of movies they picked up the way home and sighed. "You pick. There's too many. Besides that, I'm starving. Come on, give me food."

Rory filtered through the stack of movies they'd picked up and, picking one out, put it in to play.

"So," Lorelai said between bites. She reached up and wiped some sauce off her chin with her hand. "I assume by your not mentioning him you haven't heard from Logan?"

Rory pretended to mull the question over, acting as if she was about to answer before reaching for the pizza box. "I don't wanna talk about that either. Give me food."

She could have stopped her. Could've turned the movie off and insist she talk about whatever was bothering her. But she knew it wasn't what Rory needed so she instead turned her attention back to the TV, settling into the couch with every intention to stop thinking for once.

The first movie ended and the freezer was raided for ice cream before a second one was chosen. Through veiled attempts Lorelai was able to figure out what part of the problem with Logan was. Something about him not calling after his trip for several days-she couldn't entirely be certain-but Lorelai knew better than to pry and so it was with that thought in mind she let herself open up and enjoy the rest of the night.

It wasn't until after midnight that the call came. The sound was muffled underneath a pile of pillows and blankets but she was able to carefully find the offending device and with only a slight amount of confusion, she held the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Sound…make it stop…" Rory muttered from next to her. The ringing had woken her up as well and so she sat, groggily rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She turned to see the look of fear and confusion fixed on her mother's face.

"Where?" Lorelai asked, the word barely escaping her lips. "Is he okay?...Well, yeah I understand that, but I really don't think I should be the one to-"

"What is it?" Rory asked, having fully wakened due in no small part to the apparent trouble Lorelai was faced with.

Lorelai shoved her hand away before hanging up and hoping she could keep herself composed. "What was he even doing out there? This doesn't even-"

"Did something happen to grandpa? Mom, what happened to him?" Rory asked, already halfway through standing up and slipping on her shoes.

Lorelai shook her head, her eyes firmly fixed on the wall in front of them as her fingers gripped her phone tightly. "It wasn't about your grandpa. It was about Luke."


	9. Heart On The Mend

**Author's Note:** I don't have much to say for this one. I do want to say that it's currently about 1:30 in the morning and while I did my best at editing this on the four hours of sleep I got if I missed anything the fault is entirely mine & I'm sorry. Also, please let me know.

So, what else is there? The story kind of takes a turn in this one that I'm hoping comes across the way I intend. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>The drive to the hospital was quiet for a change. Lorelai refused to turn on the radio and Rory insisted she come for sanity's sake but remained silent due to not knowing what to say.<p>

It wasn't until she entered the hospital doors that Lorelai thought maybe he wouldn't want to see her. None the less, she had remained his emergency contact for whatever reason and as such considered it an obligation to at least make sure he was okay.

"Mom, you need to sit down." Rory sighed a few minutes later after they had been transferred to a waiting room. She lifted a cup of coffee to her mouth and grimaced at the taste. "This is sludge. They want us to become patients here, don't they?"

Lorelai ran a stressed hand through her hair, shaking her head as she walked past the chair Rory was sitting in. "Luke's in surgery, Rory. He's…he's hurt." At this realization she stopped, spinning around on her heel to face her daughter. "Our entire relationship, he was never sick. He might have gotten a cold a time or two, but even my promising to call out of work and stay with him didn't hold him back. Luke doesn't get hurt, Rory. He just…he doesn't-"

"Mom-" Rory interrupted, casting a month old issue of _People _aside as she approached Lorelai. "I know that. But you need to stay positive, okay?"

Tears shone in her eyes and she fought in vain to not let them escape. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Rory shrugged, wishing she could help more than she knew how.

* * *

><p>His skin was paler than usual and his frame looked thinner than the last time she's seen him, a fact which seemed completely ridiculous considering the fact she saw him the morning before. Cautiously, Lorelai crept into the room, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Hey."<p>

Luke's eyes widened a little at the realization of who was standing at the foot of the bed. "They shouldn't-" groggily, he rubbed the palm of his hand at his eyes as he tried forcing himself into a sitting position. "I don't know why they called you. I'm sure there's someplace you'd much rather be."

She crossed to the side of the bed and helped adjust the pillows when she saw he was having trouble. "Easy there, you're recovering from some pretty serious injuries. Wouldn't wanna have to stay here longer than necessary, right?"

It was meant to be lighthearted and he knew that, so rather than insisting she leave Luke simply nodded before settling his head back against the pillows. "Did they tell you when I could leave?"

"No, but considering the fact they said your truck flipped I'd say you'll be here a while." Lorelai tried laughing it off but it was to no avail. Tears shone bright in her eyes and, consciously or not, she reached for his hand. "Luke, when they called me-"

"Hey, you see me right? And I'm talking to you? I'll be fine and you can come back to the diner to pester me for coffee again in no time." Luke replied. They were standing on the edge of something and he wasn't entirely sure which way he wanted it to go.

"You know I had to fend Kirk off earlier?" Lorelai replied, pulling her hand away to wipe the tears from her eyes. "He came with this ridiculously huge stuffed animal and I didn't have the heart to tell him it was the last thing you would've wanted, but he wanted you to know that Caesar's handling things the best he can and that Lane and Zach are pitching in."

Luke shook his head. "It doesn't need to be that way." He insisted. He could feel the needle from an IV poking into his arm and off to the side a machine was beeping. He could feel the glue of a bandage pulling at the hair on his arm and breathing felt more painful than he was ready to admit. While he hadn't seen his reflection yet he was sure it wasn't the greatest and the last thing he wanted was for her to see him in such a condition, let alone anyone else in the town, but how was he supposed to tell her that after she'd apparently rushed over in the middle of the night simply because he'd neglected to change the name of his emergency contact? Purposefully or not, her name had been listed there and he knew she wouldn't leave until he assured her he was okay. "Why don't you go grab some coffee? I know you gotta be going through withdrawals by now, unless of course you managed to bribe a nurse for the good stuff."

"I sent Rory after it." Lorelai replied, hooking her thumb back in the direction of the door. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes and sighed, nudging the chair that was sitting by the side of the bed back. "But you're tired. So I'll let you sleep. I'll come back tomorrow and make sure you haven't completely driven the nurses crazy."

"You really don't have to do that." Luke replied, not wanting to put her in an awkward position. They were friends, but that didn't mean she had to go out of her way for him.

Lorelai laughed awkwardly before gazing down at the tile floor. "Actually, I um…I kind of do. So, um, tomorrow?"

He caught her elbow as she turned to leave. He winced as he felt the bandage pull at his skin. What she said was true; he was tired and in pain more than he'd like to admit to her or anyone else. That didn't stop him from recognizing the look in her eyes and though he regretted it, he needed to know what it meant. "Lorelai."

She closed her eyes and, with her back still turned to him, silently tried willing Rory to come sooner rather than later. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him and offered a shrug. "The doctor said you'd still be in the process of recovering once he released you and that-" Lorelai coughed and shifted her feet, searching his face for any signs of pain before continuing. "well, Luke, the thing is-"

"Just spit it out. What did you do?"

"I knew you'd have trouble going upstairs at the diner for the first few days, so when the doctor asked me where you'd be staying I might have said it would be with me." Lorelai said all in one breath. She finished with widened eyes and regretted not waiting until a better time to break it to him. How was she supposed to explain that when his doctor asked her she hadn't even given it so much as a second thought?

"Hey-" The door clicked open and, expecting it to be the doctor coming to tell her the patient had enough interaction for one night, she looked to the doorway in relief.

Rory stood there instead; two Styrofoam cups in her hands as she pushed the door further open with her back. She between them, unsure of what she'd just stepped into. "Should I come back?"


	10. Where Do We Go From Here?

**Author's Note:** Hello again! I planned on updating this far sooner, but studying for finals and the holidays took a toll on my muse more than I would have liked for it to. That being said, I have some time now and hope to get another chapter up sometime this weekend, provided everything goes as planned. To those of you who put up with me during the writing/waiting process and willingly (well, somewhat willingly) listen to my complaints (you know who you are), I thank you and I owe you one.

I hope you enjoy it and as always thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>Luke was in the hospital for several days before the doctor allowed him to be released. True to her word, Lorelai was there to pick him up. She took him to her house and strange as it was, it didn't occur to her until after she'd made sure he was comfortable how uncomfortable it could've been. Feeling thankful for the fact it was later in the evening and he was tired due to the medications, she was able to avoid conversation and simply head to bed herself.<p>

But then the morning came and several things hit her in quick succession. First, the fact the sun was far too bright. Second, she remembered Luke was somewhere in her house. Third, there was the smell of something cooking in her kitchen.

It didn't take her long to throw back the blanket and make it downstairs. In reality she knew who it was but the sight of him standing there scrambling eggs in her kitchen like it was the most normal thing in the world was a little hard to take in.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy. Where did you even find any food in here anyway?"

"I am taking it easy," Luke replied as he flipped the spatula in the pan. "I just wanted to try and thank you for all the help you've been giving me. I know it can't exactly be easy."

"Yeah, well-" Lorelai laughed in an attempt to shake it off until the smell of what he was cooking brought her to her senses. "Bacon? I didn't have bacon."

"I realized that when I opened your fridge and found a can of frosting, a half-gallon of expired milk, and something that vaguely resembled lettuce. I called Caesar and asked him to bring a few things before opening up the diner." Luke replied with a shrug.

Lorelai backed up until she felt the chair against her legs and she sat down, shaking her head slowly as she watched him. She knew she had work to worry about but for the moment she was taken off guard by Luke's doing something so seemingly simple without being provoked. It probably should have felt weird, and she had to admit that in some ways it did, but it didn't stop her from wishing it wasn't.

Her morning at work was spent fielding reservations and helping Sookie with perfecting plans for a party that would be at the Inn that weekend. Despite Sookie's well-intentioned questions about Luke and how they were handling things, Lorelai kept quiet. She didn't need to spill everything she was thinking out in a moment of weakness. Locking herself in her office for an hour during lunch didn't help, so she turned her attention to reorganizing some of the rooms upstairs that weren't occupied.

* * *

><p>That night, despite Luke's insistence otherwise, Lorelai brought dinner home rather than having him deal with cooking again. He swore he'd be fine with it but she knew making breakfast had taken a toll on his strength even if he hadn't told her.<p>

"You really didn't have to do this, you know. Babette was over about an hour ago trying to get me to eat some sort of soup she swore would cure me sooner. How did she even know I was here anyway?"

Lorelai shrugged while handing him the salad she knew he preferred over the burger and fries she'd gotten for herself. "She must've seen us walking in last night. It's not that big of a deal."

Luke paused, his fork caught in midair. "You don't think she'd jump to certain conclusions?"

"If she does, I can set her straight. It's not that big of a deal. Just eat your salad."

"So I can take medicine that makes me groggy and I can fall asleep with a kink in my-" Luke stopped, dropping his fork on the coffee table as he winced and grabbed his neck.

"I offered you the room upstairs and would have gladly helped you up there. Here, let me-"

"No, no. I'm fine." Luke insisted, pushing her hand away. "I'll take something later."

Lorelai eyed him suspiciously but decided not to push it for the time being. She knew the way he got when he didn't want to admit to needing help. Together they sat and finished their meal with next to nothing to say. She tried cracking a few jokes just to get a reaction but it was no use. "Here," she said after they had finished up. She moved to pick up the remaining trash on the table only to have him stand defiantly beside her. "Luke, I said I would get it."

"I'm perfectly capable of walking into the kitchen, Lorelai. I did it several times today with the brace on while you weren't even here. Now please, let me through before this gets more awkward than it already is." Luke replied, clenching his teeth together to fight off the surge of pain that began radiating through his body. His injuries from the accident had started to heal, but accidentally sleeping through the time he was supposed to take his medication wasn't making him feel any better about that.

"Okay, you know what?" Lorelai snapped back before tossing the take out bag she had been holding back on the table. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath before looking back at him. "Yeah, this is a little awkward, and I'm sorry for my part in that. The truth is, I don't know what made me tell the doctor that you'd be staying with me when you got out of the hospital, but I opened my mouth and the words just started spilling out, and I knew that once I said them there was no taking them back. You're hurting and I am walking on eggshells here to _not_ hurt you even more than I already have. So for crying out loud, will you just let me help you like I told him I would?"

"Lorelai-"

"No, let me finish, okay? Because if I don't say this now I'll never say it." She replied before running a stressed hand through her hair. The words had been building in her from the moment she agreed to help him recover for a few days and the more they were around each other, the more things kept bubbling up. "The way I woke up this morning and you were making breakfast in the kitchen like nothing ever happened? That was a little weird and I wasn't sure how to react. You can't just…you know?"

Luke watched with his brows furrowed as she started pacing. He could practically see the gears turning in her head as she gave him a look that he'd seen too many times to not know what it meant. "Lorelai, I'm tired, so can you just tell me what it is you're talking about?"

"You can't act like nothing happened! Luke, you were in an accident, okay? I am trying to be your friend here, and yes I suppose a large part of that is due to the fact that I feel incredibly guilty over the way I ended our relationship, but it's also because I still-" Lorelai stopped, frustration seeping through her as well as a certain sense of panic at what she'd almost said.

"What?" Luke asked as, with a slight sense of difficulty, he made his way over to where she was standing. "You still what?"

Her mouth hung open and she started shaking her head slowly. She glanced over at the table and smiled, finding what she believed to be a way out. "I still need to clean the table. That…that is what I was going to say."

Luke caught her arm before she was able to step away. He waited, expecting her to pull away. "Really?"

"I just…"

She could have lied or better yet, shook his grip off before walking away. Even then, she could have told him the truth. Words struggled with each other inside of her, each one fighting for a way to make sense with the others in her head, but rather than saying them she grabbed his shirt and pressed her lips to his. It was a moment of panic when for once she couldn't figure out what to say and decided to kiss him instead. When he relaxed rather than pushing him away, Lorelai gave up all pretenses that anything was normal about the situation.

To say he was taken off guard at first would be an understatement, but wasn't it always that way whenever it came to her? Luke wound his non-injured hand into her hair and let himself do the thing he'd been fighting against for weeks. He kissed her, letting the moment last longer than it probably should have, until the need for air forced him to pull away.

The floor. The coffee table. The stack of mail unopened sitting across the room. Lorelai looked at anything but him because in that moment she wasn't sure what would happen if she did.

Before he had time to react she was moving away from him, cleaning up the remnants of their meal. With her back turned to him, Luke watched her move to the kitchen and waited in the same spot for her to return. "Lorelai."

"I…am going to go upstairs and take a shower, and just go to bed. I'm sorry for yelling earlier. Just-" Lorelai paused, taking the first two steps at once before turning back towards him. "remember your pill this time, okay? And yell up if you change your mind about the bed. I meant what I said when I told you I'd help you."

Luke opened his mouth to reply but she was already halfway upstairs. He sighed and walked back to the couch, sitting down in defeat. He turned on the tv, finding a movie on a random station he couldn't care less about. The only thing Luke cared about in that moment was taking his mind off of Lorelai and the situation they found themselves in. It was a fruitless attempt because a few minutes later he leaned his head back onto the couch cushion, closing his eyes as he heard her moving around upstairs getting ready for bed. Opening his eyes, Luke glanced over at the empty spot on the couch and he wanted nothing more than for her to be sitting there beside him.


	11. Fixing What Was Broken

**Author's Note: **As always, any mistakes in here are my own. I tried to get all of them, but if I missed any I apologize. Things start picking up a bit after this chapter. Thank you to those of you who are sticking with me on this one. I hope to have the next update within the next week or so. And again, thanks to all you awesomesauce folks for reading! It means more to me than you know.

* * *

><p>The next day passed with little to no suggestion of what happened the night before. Lorelai wanted to ask or at least casually press the issue but wasn't sure how to start. When the alarm failed to go off and she woke up just in time for work, Luke met her at the door with a cup of coffee, knowing she would need it. She'd opened her mouth then, fully prepared to apologize before casually sliding into addressing the fact that they'd kissed, but she lost the nerve and simply smiled before heading out the door.<p>

When she came home at lunch time she told herself it was because she needed forms for something at work, but it wasn't. She spotted Luke hunched over the sink, tinkering with something, and let out a sigh. "Seriously? I don't understand how you can be healing if you're up fixing things all the time."

Luke turned to see her standing in the doorway. "I was getting something to drink and realized your faucet was leaking. I was just tightening things up, I didn't think it'd be a problem."

Lorelai winced, realizing she came out a little harsher than she'd intended. "Sorry, I just didn't want you to work yourself up. You've only been recovering for a few days."

"Lorelai, I'm fine."

She studied him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. "Okay. Hey, so um-" she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, rocking back on her heels as she debated whether or not she should continue. "Should I bring something for dinner? I mean, I know that you could make something and well, I make a mean batch of chicken nuggets if I do say so myself, but I just-"

"Don't worry about it. I mean, I'm sure we can figure it out later."

Lorelai laughed and shifted her feet, wondering if he noticed how typical of a conversation it would've been just a few months before. It wasn't that it felt forced now, but there was a certain amount of hesitance that was clearly noticeable. "So I'll see you later?"

"Yep," Luke replied, crossing his arms as he leaned against the kitchen sink. "I'll uh…I'll be here."

She paused for a moment in the doorway, poised to leave and yet unable for a moment to break their gaze. A smile crossed her lips and she nodded slowly. "Good."

* * *

><p>Lorelai opened the door to Luke's, scanning the room in search of Lane. Seeing that she was occupied with customers, she made a beeline for the counter in search of Caesar. "Hey, good. You're here. I need to ask you a favor."<p>

Caesar eyed her cautiously as he flipped a burger on the grill. "I'm always here, you know that. And hey, you know the boss doesn't want people back here, right?"

"Well, yeah, but I was kind of hoping you could help me," Lorelai replied. She wrung her hands and offered a shrug. She knew it was bad; the going behind his back, but it was for his own good. "I need you to call Luke with some kind of emergency. It doesn't have to be anything big, you know, just something small. Like…like the toaster is broken or the coffee is gone, or there's a fire in the oven."

"Since when is a fire in the oven a small problem?" Caesar asked, laughing it off. "What's going on, Lorelai?"

"He is always fixing things. I mean, when we were together, it wasn't as much of a problem, but now? I went home earlier and he was fixing the sink when it didn't even need to be fixed. So, if you could just-"

"How's he feeling, anyway? Kirk was pressing for details the other day. To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't tried to come back already."

Lorelai ran through potential reasons for that in her head. To be honest, that same thought had crossed her mind as well. "I don't know. It's not that I don't want him there, I kind of do actually, but you know what?" she sighed, shaking her head as she fought to focus her senses. "Forget what I just said. But could you just call him to give him something to do?"

Caesar nodded knowingly before plating the meal he was preparing. "I got it. I'll see what I can do. And hey, Lorelai? It's great to see you back."

* * *

><p>By the time Lorelai got home that night the sky had turned a pale orange that was quickly fading to an inky purple. There was the slightest hint of a chill in the air as she stepped out of her truck and she knew that winter was on its way. She adjusted her bag, slipping her keys into it as she started walking toward the house, catching sight of Luke, focused on something along the porch railing, hammer poised in hand. She turned toward him, sighing as she tried making sense of it all. "That's some pretty good recovering you're doing there, diner boy."<p>

Luke paused, resting the hammer he was using on the railing. "Let's just say they've got me on some pretty good medication. You're not gonna lecture me on how I need to be careful this time?"

She smiled sheepishly and shook her head. "I didn't mean for it to come across that way earlier, I was just-"

"I know," Luke replied, gesturing to the top step. "Do you wanna sit for a second?"

Lorelai agreed, and watched as he got into a sitting position before doing the same herself. "To what do I owe this occasion?" she asked, knowing the fact he was apparently trying to address something could only mean one of a few things were on his mind. She waited, the breeze picking up a strand of her hair and twirling it into her face. She pushed it back and she waited still for what felt like minutes but in reality was a few seconds for Luke to speak. "Luke, I-"

"I got an interesting phone call earlier. I was sitting in there watching some ridiculous infomercial. I mean really, who do they expect to buy those things? Anyway, I get a call from Caesar at the diner and he starts telling me there's some problem he needs my help with."

Lorelai arched her eyebrows, feigning surprise as she tucked her clasped hands under her chin. "Oh, really? Was something wrong?"

The slightest hint of a smile played on his lips. "It was the strangest thing. He said there was something up with a part on the toaster oven."

"Oh no. Well, did you fix it?" Lorelai asked. A light flickered in his eyes and she knew she'd been caught.

"There was just one thing wrong with that. The part he was telling me was broken? I just replaced it last month," Luke replied. He waited, watching to see how she'd react. Her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink and the strand of hair had gotten loose again, and he had to fight against the urge to tuck in back behind her ear where it belonged. Nodding slowly, he nudged her leg with his own and laughed a little. "I know what you did for me, and I want to thank you."

She would have made some sort of sarcastic comment in return, about how it was no trouble or that she didn't know what he was talking about, except for the fact that all she could focus on was the fact that when Luke nudged her with his knee he never moved it away. "I-" Lorelai paused, coughing in an attempt to clear her throat. "I was just trying to help."

"I've been fixing things that didn't need to be fixed. I know I'm not exactly the easiest patient to deal with-"

"You're telling me," Lorelai replied jokingly. "Hey, I was just-"

"I know," Luke answered. "Listen, I um…I've gotta go check out my truck tomorrow. You know, see how bad it is and get all my stuff out of it."

Lorelai nodded slowly in reply, expecting him to continue. "Okay."

Luke started massaging the back of his neck, knowing full well that she knew what he was getting at but that she still wanted him to say it. "I just…was sort of thinking that maybe you could give me a lift? If you're not too busy, of course. I know that things with the Inn have been busy so I don't want to bother you with the trouble. In fact, you know what, let me just call Liz and see-"

"Luke," Lorelai replied, putting her hand on his arm just as he reached for his phone. "I'd be glad to help you. It's the least I could do, especially considering the way I acted last night."

Luke swallowed hard, drawing in a sharp breath. They'd been sitting on the steps long enough to irritate part of his injury. Despite that, he wasn't willing to get up yet. "I didn't mind. If I'm being honest, it felt kind of normal," he said, catching himself before she had a chance to say anything. "Not the-not the yelling thing, but it was okay, Lorelai. Really. So you'd really help me out tomorrow? I feel like you've done enough already."

She smiled in return, moving to put her hand over his that were clasped together in his lap. She wondered to herself when it was that they—or rather, her, though Luke had yet to distance himself—had become so comfortable with the subtly touching each other thing again. Not that she was complaining, but considering the way their evening had ended the day before, it left her head reeling and she didn't know what she was supposed to do next. When she realized she hadn't responded yet, she coughed and moved her hand away, feigning the need to cover her mouth. "Yeah, Luke," she said. "I'll go with you."


	12. Ships in the Night

**Author's Note: **I can't thank anyone who reads this story enough. You know who you are, and you are awesome. So...yeah. I figured I would give this to the loyal readers as a sort of thank you for sticking with me despite the whole sporadic posting this past semester. I will be making every effort to update much more frequently here soon.

There is a somewhat subtle nod/quote that is technically borrowed from a beloved OTP of mine. There is a chance you'll find it, but if you don't there is no need to stress. They're getting there, friends! They really are. As always, any mistakes are my own. I tried to catch them all so if there are some, I apologize. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>Lorelai had just come in the Inn, fresh from a morning of helping Luke pick up everything from his truck, with every intention of hiding away the rest of the day in her office with paperwork. That is, until she heard the shrill sound that could only be coming from one person.<p>

"I specifically asked for eggshell white for the vases, and this is clearly more of a pearl. Honestly, why on earth would I have let you assist me if I knew that this would happen?"

Sighing, Lorelai hung her shoulders in defeat as the realization hit her. "Right, of course." she muttered to herself before setting her things behind the counter and going to help handle the situation.

"Mother."

Michel crossed the room, grabbing Lorelai by the arm and pulling her off to the side. "She has been yelling at that woman for the past five minutes. I understand that she is family and asked to host a party here, but if you cannot get her under control, I will be taking one of my sick days immediately. I cannot work in these conditions!"

Used to his dramatic spells but fully aware of the stress being in the same room with her mother could cause, Lorelai nodded and pushed him toward the front desk. "I'll take care of it. But for the record, you've met my mother, right? Reining her in is not an easy task."

"I am well aware of that. Now, if you will excuse me, I have I job I need to _try_ to do."

Lorelai watched him spin on his heel and walk away before hanging her head and taking a deep breath. "Mother, will you please stop harassing the poor woman? Maybe it wasn't her fault."

"Lorelai, thank goodness. Honestly, how can you have people around here that don't know the variations in shades of white? I'd truly like this to be a success, but without-"

Lorelai placed a hand on her shoulder. "Okay, mom—" she looked at the woman, a blond who didn't look any older than twenty five and was clearly afraid of whatever would happen next. "First of all, this woman works for you, not me. You hired her. And second of all, I'm not sure that your guests will care what shade something is."

"What a ridiculous notion, but I suppose you're right," Emily said, smoothing her hands down the length of her dress. It wasn't often that she made mistakes, and admitting them happened less frequently than that. "I understand. I suppose it will suffice, but I suggest you pay better attention next time."

"Can I…go now?" the girl asked timidly, clutching a clipboard to her chest.

Casting a sympathetic look in her direction, Lorelai nodded and watched her walk away. "Do you want to talk about what just happened? Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, why on earth would you ask?"

Lorelai shook her head and laughed. She and her mother weren't similar on too many things, but the need to put on a front and act composed in the midst of stress was something they both shared. "I'll be in my office taking care of a few things. I'm sure you'll know how to find me."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for doing this for me last minute," Sookie said, standing in the middle of her kitchen. Lorelai stood next to her, her jacket draped over her arm as she has just come inside the house. "I know you've probably got other things to do, but…"<p>

"No, you're fine. Don't worry about it. And for the record, I don't have anything else actually. Luke's back at his place now, as of earlier today," Lorelai said, quickly crossing the room to grab a mug before Sookie could start peppering her with questions. When she heard the slight humming of her friend laughing in amusement, she knew that she'd failed.

"How are you two, by the way?" Sookie asked, slipping on the jacket that she'd left hanging on a chair.

Lorelai turned around, cradling the warmth of the fresh cup of coffee in her hands. "Fine."

Sookie sent her a look that she knew meant she didn't believe her. "What does "fine" mean exactly?"

Lorelai shrugged, staring down at the kitchen floor instead of her friend. "It's nothing. We…sort of kissed the other night, and then this morning I went with him to pick up the things from his truck, and-"

"Wait, wait, wait. You two-"

"It's not a big deal, Sook. I mean, it could be. I don't know." Lorelai replied, sighing before taking a big gulp from the mug. She could practically feel Sookie staring at her, trying to pull answers out of the air. "I thought you and Jackon were going out?"

"We are, in a minute." Sookie insisted before taking a step closer. With barely suppressed glee, she shrugged her shoulder and nudged her arm. "So does this mean you two have, well, you know…patched things up?"

"What? No, just because something happened doesn't mean that something is going to _happen_." Lorelai replied. She'd had a feeling telling Sookie what had happened between her and Luke would start an interrogation session, and even if she didn't want to admit it, having someone ask her was almost kind of nice. While she hated the confrontational aspect, there was a part of her that had been asking herself the very same questions. Having Luke in the house for a few days had been frustrating in some ways, but having him around again had almost been nice.

Before Sookie could ask her anything else, Jackson came into the room and asked her if she was ready. "We should be back by ten. You know how to get ahold of us and, oh, if Martha tries to convince you to let her have dessert you shouldn't cave."

"Don't cave? Why won't you let the poor girl have some dessert?"

"Because she already had some," Sookie replied, sliding her purse strap onto her shoulder. She looked over to see Jackson saying goodbye to the kids. "Listen, um, about what we were talking about? If you need to—"

"I know," Lorelai replied with a smile. "Thanks. Now you two get out of here. I heard a rumor that there was dessert somewhere."

* * *

><p>Luke was somewhere between sleep and awake when he heard a faint sound. Thinking Caesar had just forgotten something downstairs, he pulled the blanket closer around his shoulders and tried to fall asleep. There was the sound of something shuffling and it was then that he went on high alert. Even if Caesar had forgotten something, there was no reason for him to come up the stairs. Shoving back the covers, he turned on the lamp and shuffled over to the door. He swung it open, unsure of what to expect, only to find Lorelai standing with her hand poised to knock on the other side. "How did you-"<p>

Lorelai, knowing what he would ask, dangled a key ring from her thumb. "I know where your spare key is, remember? Anyway, this won't take long. I just, um—" she paused, fishing through her purse before pulling out a medicine bottle and sticking it in his direction. "You forgot these at my house and I didn't want you to not have them. I know that you're better now, but...well, can you just take them?"

He took the bottle and hesitated, weighing it in his hand as he waited. "Anything else?"

"No, no. I'm fine. How are you?" Lorelai asked. She shrugged her shoulders and offered a smile. It wasn't supposed to be awkward between them, and yet she knew if she kept standing there the chance that it could become that way would increase.

Luke considered his options before opening the door wider and gesturing that she move inside. "I know you don't live that far away, but it's past ten at night and you came here just to give me a bottle of pills that could have waited until morning?"

"I was worried about you, okay? I'm sorry," Lorelai replied, shaking her head. She surveyed the apartment and the lone lamp that was lit up. "You were going to bed, weren't you? Of _course_. I should just go."

"Lorelai?" Luke called just as she turned to leave. He set the bottle of pills on the table and took a step towards her. "Look…I know I'm not very good at the whole confrontation thing, but you came here for whatever reason, and I wanna know what it is, okay? So," he said, nodding as if he'd decided it all in his head. He backed up until he reached the arm of the chair and sat on it, taking in a big gulp of air. If he was right, he didn't have to guess what she came over for. It was something they had been dancing around for some time, but he'd been hoping to have more time to prepare before talking about it. "talk to me. What do you need?'

"I just have something to say, and if I don't say it now I'm afraid I won't be able to, so can you just hear me out?" she asked. "We're friends, you know? At least we've been trying to get back to a place where it isn't weird or awkward, or whatever word you want to label it. Do you know what I mean?" Rather than waiting for a response, she started pacing in front of the couch, ringing her hands together as she walked. "I thought that keeping my distance would help you; that it was what we needed, but then that didn't help. Then, well, the accident happened and before I knew what was happening I volunteered to let you recover at my house. I don't regret that at all, by the way. I just—" she stopped, fully aware of how crazy she probably sounded to him, but wanting to get it all out before she lost her nerve. While the talk with Sookie earlier that evening wasn't the driving force behind her showing up that night, it was something that had given her the final push. Even if nothing would happen between them, she needed him to know. "I'm sorry I kissed you."

"I'm not." Luke blurted out before he could filter it into something a little less revealing.

Lorelai sunk into the couch, her mouth hanging wide open as she tried saying something coherent. "What?"

"That was stupid, wasn't it? You know what, just forget I said anything. It's late, shouldn't you be going home?"

She shook her head defiantly. "Not until you help me understand what just happened."

Luke scratched the back of his neck and sighed, feeling like the spotlight was being placed on him. As much as he hated the idea, he knew that it was better to clear the air. "I'm not sorry. You got it? I'm just…not."

"Okay," Lorelai replied slowly, letting the word settle between them with a dull thud. "So, what happens now? Do we just go back to you being the guy who serves me my life source every morning and making comments about the unhealthy food that I consume knowing full well I won't listen? There's not exactly a rule book for this type of situation."

Despite the anxiety building in his chest, he let out a chuckle. "I guess you're right. And to tell you the truth, I don't really know."

She watched as he crossed the living room area and sat at the opposite end of the couch. "I don't either."

"You do realize this is insane, right? Both of us dancing around what's basically inevitable." Luke replied, shifting so that he was facing her.

She started shaking her head slowly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

For a moment he felt a pang of panic, thinking that maybe he'd read her wrong. Though he'd known Lorelai for years, there wasn't any real way to tell what was on her mind. "Okay, fine then."

Lorelai held out her arm to stop him from getting off of the couch. "I just—" she tried to begin only to failed, squeezing her eyes shut as if doing so would will the right words to the surface. "It's just that we've tried this before. Look what happened."

"Oh, yeah," Luke replied, balancing his cheek against the palm of his hand. "And we'd probably get hounded by the town again."

Lorelai bowed her head and laughed, feeling warmth spread through her cheeks. "Taylor would throw a fit and you would love it."

"I would, wouldn't I?" Luke replied with a smile. Years of history and memories floated in the air between them; missed chances and opportunities gone wrong. They were skirting around something that he didn't want to fight anymore. "So, I guess there's only one question then."

"What's that?"

"Is this what you want?" Luke hated the idea of putting everything out there, of putting something on the line that he couldn't take back, but she was worth the risk.

Lorelai tried her best to keep everything under control. She knew they still had things to work through, that trust and learning to be around each other again would take more than a few days in the same house, but he was asking for an answer and she wanted to give him one. "Yeah, I think it is," she said, drawing in a deep breath as she slid closer to the middle of the couch, not touching him but bridging the divide that had been there before. "I really do."


	13. The Feeling of Something Familiar

**Author's Note: **Happy times come again. There's not a great deal I have to say about this one. This chapter has gone through a few rounds of editing and I tried to catch everything, so as always any mistakes you find are only my own.

To my fellow Stars Hollowians out there. Because the show may be over, but our love for this wonderful ship certainly isn't.

* * *

><p>Lorelai opened the door of the diner and made a beeline for the counter. The breakfast rush was starting to disperse but a few tables were still full and Kirk was positioned at the counter. "Luke," she called, shooting a smile in Kirk's direction before noticing the depressed look on his face.<p>

"Hey, there you are. Coffee?" Luke replied, stepping out of the kitchen. He was already pouring her a cup before she had a chance to respond.

"You know me so well," Lorelai replied, gratefully taking the cup from him. She smiled and inhaled the aroma, relishing in the fact that things were normal between them again, until she heard a dramatic sigh coming from Kirk's direction. "Everything okay there, Kirk?" she asked, watching as he stirred a spoon through his bowl of oatmeal. She eyed him over the edge of her cup, taking a healthy sip as she sighed. "Just as good as I remember."

"Don't buy into it, he's been doing that for the last twenty minutes," Luke said.

She looked up suspiciously before offering a shrug. "You wanna talk about it?"

"It's LuLu. We were playing a game last night and I forgot the date of her birthday. She hasn't been answering any of my phone calls this morning, and we were supposed to be having lunch later. I'm beginning to think that she's ignoring me." He set his spoon down with a hard thud and shook his head.

"I'll give you a tip there, Kirk," Luke said, tossing a dish towel over his shoulder. He rang a customer up before walking back over. "You're not gonna find out if you're hiding out here all day."

They waited a few minutes, listening to Kirk's musings until finally he left, muttering for the fourth or fifth time about how Luke was probably right. Lorelai took the last few gulps from her cup before grinning and holding it in his direction. "I should probably go, too. Busy, busy day…" she muttered while watching him fill a to-go cup.

"About that," Luke replied, fighting against the smile he felt playing on his lips. He looked up to make sure no one else was within earshot. "We're still on for seven tonight, right? I mean, if you need to reschedule-"

"No," Lorelai answered quickly, letting her fingers linger over his for a second longer than she probably should've as he passed her the carryout cup. They'd agreed to go out to dinner, and even though they were a couple again, they had agreed to take things slow. Public displays of affection in Stars Hollow at that stage weren't exactly a part of that. "Seven is great," she continued, subtly nodding before taking money out to pay for the coffee. Even if they'd started dating again, she didn't want to assume anything. She started to stand only to find that Luke had covered her hand, anchoring it to the counter.

He shook his head and curled her fingers back over the money she was trying to give him. "Don't worry about it. On the house."

She grinned and took a step back from the counter. "Really? Well, thank you, I guess I can't complain," she replied as she turned to go. As she heard the bell over the door ring, she thought that she could definitely get used to this.

* * *

><p>"So, explain something to me-" Lorelai said, peeking her head out of the closet. She gestured to the pile of books Rory had sitting on her bed. "If you plan on staying here for the weekend, why would you bring those things?"<p>

"Because I would at least like to get a little bit done. I need to be ahead because I have a test this Tuesday, and I have an article due later this week." Rory sighed and pushed the books aside, crossing her legs and staring in the direction of her mother. "That doesn't mean that I'm distracted from what's going on. You practically dragged me up here the second I opened the door. What's the rush?"

Lorelai stepped out of the closet holding two separate shirts on hangers. "No particular reason. What, a mom can't just show her daughter the contents of her closet? Which one do you like better?"

"She could," Rory agreed with a shrug of her shoulders. "Except I've seen you in both of those. Nothing really new about it."

"Really?" Lorelai asked in surprise. When the light of recognition hit her she sighed and tossed them back into her closet. "No, this is going to be a disaster. I would have done this sooner, we had trouble with some guests at the Inn and a mix up with two of the rooms, so now this is all going to be ruined."

"Your closet?" Rory frowned, sure that wasn't what she was getting at but finding herself willing to play along until the truth came out.

Lorelai stepped back into her closet, blindly picking out a few other hangers and draped her choices over her left arm before collapsing onto the bed in a heap. "Yes. No…" she sighed and rested her head on Rory's shoulder. "I don't know. I just wish I had more time. Except I don't, because-"

Rory sat up straight and turned so she was facing her. "Do you want to just come out with whatever it is you're leading up to or should I just let you keep dancing in circles around whatever it is that's making you destroy your closet?"

As Lorelai gazed about the room and saw how little of the actual floor was visible between dresses, skirts, shirts and whatever else she had strewn about, she knew that Rory was right. Maybe dancing around the issue wasn't as easy as just straight out telling her. "It's just that, well, I haven't told anyone yet. I was afraid to because right now it's this perfect bubble of…perfect. And the bubble is nice and it's, well, shiny I guess. Whatever. I'm afraid that if I say something it could ruin that, and then the bubble would burst and we'd be starting all over again, and I _really_ don't want that to happen."

Slowly, Rory reached over and pried the hangers she was holding from her grip. "Okay," she began. "Do you want to tell me why there's a bubble?"

If it wasn't for the nervousness that she was feeling, she probably would have laughed at the serious look on her face. She drew in a deep breath and before she knew it, she was telling her everything. There wasn't too much to tell, aside from the fact that she and Luke were finally trying to make things work again and that she'd be meeting him at seven and she still had not decided on what to wear, but those two things alone were enough to send Rory reeling.

"You're serious?" she asked.

"What? Yeah. You don't look surprised."

Rory shrugged and shook her head. "To tell you the truth, I was kind of hoping this would happen eventually. Luke's a really great guy, but that's exactly why you should be careful."

Her brows furrowed as she frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? Ew, you aren't seriously lecturing me on-"

"No," Rory said, playfully slapping her arm. "That is the _last_ thing I could possibly try lecturing you on. I just meant, you know, that you should be careful. You've tried this before mom, and you both ended up hurt. I've seen the way that Luke still looks at you, and it's obvious to practically all of Stars Hollow that the guy carries a torch for you despite everything that has happened. You can't screw this up again, mom. You know what that would do to him."

Lorelai lowered her head, silently nodding to herself. While she wasn't the only one to blame for their break up, it was her actions that had completely finalized it. "I know," she whispered harshly, tears pricking at her eyes. "You're really pulling the "child acting mature and all grown up" card here, aren't you?"

"I guess so," Rory replied, not meaning to be harsh at all but merely wanting her to see the truth. After a few moments of neither of them talking she gestured to the black sweater at the top of the pile in her lap. "What about that one?"

She picked it up, surveying it as she tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out if it was a viable option. "It could work."

They went through a few more options before finally deciding on the one Rory had originally pointed out. "Perfect," Rory said, hopping off of the bed. "Now, if you don't mind, I've got a chapter to try and run through before meeting up with Lane tonight."

"What would I do without you?" Lorelai sighed dramatically.

"Probably suffocate under the pile of clothes you just pulled from your closet," she replied jokingly. She started to turn for the door but stopped when she heard Lorelai calling her. "Yeah?"

"It's just…this is going to work, right? I know the roles are reversed here and you should be the one asking me this question in some alternative universe. But it will, won't it?"

Rory leaned against the doorframe, her books rested in the crook of her arm, and looked at her mother. Despite any hurt involved with her mother and Luke's relationship in the past, she knew that no one made her feel quite the way that he did. "Yeah, I really think it will."

* * *

><p>The streets of Stars Hollow were fairly empty by the time Luke and Lorelai started walking towards the town square, holding hands loosely. The freedom to simply lean into each other not because of necessity but because of genuinely wanting to was something new again, but it wasn't to be taken for granted.<p>

"I have to say, I'm a little bit impressed," Lorelai said, gently nudging him in the side with her elbow. "The way you handled the waiter nearly dumping those plates of soup for the table next to us on you. If it was me, I don't know that I would've been as calm."

"No, I don't think you would," Luke laughed it off as they rounded a corner. He stopped, looking to see if anyone was standing on the street before pressing a quick kiss on her lips.

"What was that for?" she asked, barely able to suppress her grin.

His eyes widened a little and he laughed nervously. "Nothing. Why, am I not allowed to—"

"No, no," she replied. "You are." To assuage any remaining fears he had, she tilted forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. "Come on, let's go."

The original plan had been to snag leftover pieces of pie from the diner and sit in the gazebo across the square, Lorelai insisting that he eat some of the pie and Luke delighting in the fact that for once there weren't any town events going on that night. But as they were passing Miss Patty's, Lorelai saw that the light was still on and heard the sound of a chorus of voices coming from inside. She halted her step and could practically feel Luke wincing beside her. "Please. Please, just this once?"

"What? I thought you wanted pie." he asked, already knowing that she'd beg him to go inside with her.

"I do. I want the pie. Of course I want the pie. But come on, town meetings are hardly ever going on still this late. You know it's gotta be something good," she answered.

"Fine, lead the way," he said, gesturing toward the door with one hand and resting one against the small of her back. "Wait. It's just, ya know, what if people—"

"Let them," Lorelai replied, before leading the way into the room. She tilted her head in the direction of two empty seats in the back. Judging from the rows in front of them, several people had already filtered out, but the usual suspects remained. She spotted Kirk sitting next to LuLu in the second row and assumed that they must have smoothed over the usual drama that occurred whenever Kirk was around.

"Alright, so we're going to take a final vote regarding the fall decorations. We're actually a week later setting everything up I might add, so we need to get this settled as soon as possible," Taylor warned from the podium.

To his right, Miss Patty was sitting in a chair looking less than thrilled as she held two posters with examples of what the decorations would look like. "Taylor, everyone's tired, we can leave a display up and announce the winner next week," she could tell by the deep breath he drew in that Taylor was about to start an argument against the idea. "Okay, okay, fine. Can someone here raise their support for one of the options? The tie needs to be broken, and it's clear we're not getting out of here until it does."

Lorelai heard a few people murmuring about that fact and without actually looking at the posters raised her hand. "The first one. It's very…orange."

Both Taylor and Miss Patty looked up in surprise. "Oh, Lorelai, you haven't been here long enough to hear arguments regarding both options regarding the decorations. Had you been here earlier, I certainly would have accepted your vote. People, it's important that the store fronts of our town look uniform and celebratory for the season. If we don't decide on this, we'll—"

"Her vote matters just as much as the rest of ours whether she's late or not, Taylor," Babette chimed in from somewhere up front.

Taylor looked as if he was about to argue against her statement, but simply hung his head and nodded to himself. "Alright, that's fair I suppose. I believe we can adjourn now although, I might add, I wish some of you would refrain from looking so happy about it."

Luke waited for Lorelai to stand before heading for the door himself. He followed her, intent on seeing her home, when he felt her loop her arm through his. It wasn't like they'd never been that close before, and he certainly wasn't about to complain. There was a certain amount of hesitance behind it, like they weren't quite sure how to act around each other again, but he hoped that would go away with time.

"So," Lorelai said, clearing her throat as she moved a tendril of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "We survived."

"Yeah," he replied, smiling in her direction. This time he didn't care if anyone saw. "We did."


	14. Just a Little Conversation

A few weeks went by and slowly they worked their way into a comfortable groove. They had both agreed to take things cautiously, afraid to overstep any remaining boundaries the other might have had. Luke had been over to the house a few times for movies and more often than not Lorelai had found herself at the diner past closing. With time, they fell into step with one another and though they still had work to do, both began to feel better about where they were headed. Having been apart for a while, they knew what they'd been without and were afraid to take anything for granted.

With that, Luke found himself at the diner and wiping down the counter as he saw Lorelai hurriedly rushing through the door. He paused in his work, laying the towel down as he watched her sit down on her usual barstool. "I thought you said you were working during lunch today?"

"I was," Lorelai replied, taking a deep breath in an attempt to collect her thoughts. "I am. Well, sort of, but then something happened and I just—"

"Don't worry about it," Luke replied, shaking his head. "I'll get you something to eat. Relax."

"Can't…relax…" Lorelai gratefully took the cup he handed her and took a healthy sip before trying to continue.

"What, did you run here?" Luke asked jokingly. Even though he laughed while he did so, he knew that with her it could very well be possible.

"I would like to begin by saying that I'm sorry. I tried to stop it, I did; I tried coming up with an excuse as to why it was impossible, but they wouldn't take it."

Luke watched her, curious as she fidgeted, easily crumpling a napkin under her grip. He glanced around, grateful that Kirk had left shortly before she came in and that there wasn't anyone else within earshot. "You wanna tell me what's going on here?"

"My parents found out about us, and now they want you to come to dinner on Friday," Lorelai replied. She decided that maybe getting everything out at once was easier. "I'm sorry, Luke. I know that this is something we should've talked about first. I don't want anything to feel weird or rushed, so if this is something you don't feel comfortable with I can tell them we need to reschedule."

If it weren't for how flustered Lorelai looked, he probably would have laughed. Instead he offered a smile and put his hand on top of hers. "Don't worry about it. I'll come."

"You will?" she asked, momentarily taken back. "You do realize what this means, right? You are voluntarily agreeing to waltz directly into the lion's den. Well, not waltz of course, but—" she paused, shaking her head. She offered a shrug. "I guess I was just worried. Rory's at school and the last I heard, she wasn't going to make it, so I just didn't know if it was such a good idea bringing my parents into our bubble."

"We have a bubble?" Luke asked, raising his eyebrow. Before he had a chance to press for any more information, a round of people walked into the diner. He excused himself long enough to take their order. Once he came back he found that she'd emptied her mug, but that it had done nothing to calm her down. "I'll be there," he assured her. "I tell you what. If you stay for just a few, I'll make you a burger. Don't argue with me either and pretend it's not what you want."

Lorelai gasped, pretending to be offended. "Me? I don't recall ever doing any such thing."

"Right, I bet you don't," he replied. "So can you stay for lunch?"

She tilted her head to the side, pretending to mull it over, before finally nodding and shooting a smile his way. "You know me too well, don't you?"

"Sometimes it feels that way," Luke replied, growing cautious as he eyed Patty and Babette walking towards the diner. Their relationship was no longer a secret and he was perfectly fine with it, but the last thing he wanted was for them to be the prime topic of Stars Hollow. He nodded at the ladies as they walked in and seated themselves before turning his attention back to Lorelai. "I'll uh…I'll get that burger started for you," he said before pointing to her cup. "Coffee?"

* * *

><p>Shortly after Lorelai left, things at the diner settled down again and Luke had a chance to breathe. A few tables remained, including Miss Patty and Babette who seemed content by themselves. He took the chance to slip behind the curtain, placing a call he felt was important for him to make. Even if she wasn't needed, he couldn't help feeling like it was something he was supposed to do.<p>

"Hello?" he heard her voice sounding somewhat concerned from the other end of the phone. "Luke? Is something wrong with my mom?"

"What?" he replied, settling his forehead on his hand as he realized what the implications of him calling her might be. "Rory, hey. No um…Lorelai's great. She's fine. Listen, I just sort of had a favor to ask you. It's really not a big deal, so if you can't do it I understand, but—"

"You need my help? With what, exactly?" Rory asked, the curiosity evident in her voice. "Does this have to do with April?"

Luke shook his head despite the fact she couldn't see him. When Lorelai had come in, so flustered and worried about Friday Night Dinner and the fact the Gilmores insisted he come, all that he wanted to do was ensure that she feel comfortable about the situation. He thought that maybe if Rory were present, it would make the situation slightly less awkward and perhaps gear some of the conversation in her direction.

"It's just that, well, somehow your grandparents were able to find out your mother and I are seeing each other again. I don't know all the details, what with the way Lorelai came storming in here earlier. All that I know is that we're both expected at Friday dinner at their place, and just—" he paused, finding the right words to ask her difficult to come by.

"How can I help?"

"Could you just be there? I mean, it's not a big deal. I don't know your schedule as much as she does, but if you could I know it'd mean a lot to her." Luke heard the sound of papers shuffling around as he waited for her answer. He hoped he wasn't overstepping bounds just by trying to help.

"Friday actually isn't as bad as I was thinking it would be," Rory replied. Even through the phone she could sense his anxiety about the issue. "You've survived the Gilmores before, you know. We may be borderline crazy, but I'm fairly certain there are worse ways you could be spending your evening." Rory hesitated, hearing nothing but background noise on the other end. "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?" Luke replied, peering out from behind the curtain that divided the stairs on which he stood from the rest of the diner, checking to make sure everything was still running smoothly.

"Don't let my grandparents scare you. I'll see you Friday."

* * *

><p>The air was chilly as Luke and Lorelai pulled up to the elder Gilmore residence. Fall was settling as expected, and as they climbed out of the truck, a fresh puff of breath curled out in long white wisps. "Last chance, Luke. You can say you caught a cold, and I mean really. What kind of woman would I be if I left you at home to fend for yourself?"<p>

Luke watched as she rubbed her arms for warmth. It was chilly despite the layers they wore. He closed the driver's side door and walked around the front to her side of the truck, placing an arm around her shoulders. "I think it's gonna be fine. Relax," he replied, planting a kiss against her temple and pulling her close.

"Mmm, if you say so," Lorelai replied. They started to walk toward the door until she halted, drawing in the cool night air before slowly exhaling and looking back at him. He was smiling despite the awkward situation they'd soon find themselves in. "You're kind of great Luke Danes, did you know that?"

"Kind of?" Luke chuckled, shaking his head. He looked up in time to see the headlights of Rory's car pulling into the drive. "I got a little surprise for you."

Lorelai turned around, eyes growing wide at the sight of Rory climbing out of the car. "Hey! I thought you said you weren't going to make it?"

"Yeah, well, plans change I guess," Rory replied, giving her a hug. "Can we go inside? I was in a hurry to get here and forgot my jacket."

Lorelai looked at Luke and she grinned. "Thank you," she said.

Dinner went by easier than expected. Emily went on for a little bit about the girls from the DAR and Richard was sure to fill them in on the details of a deal his company was working on.

They hit a hiccup when the cook was late in bringing out the main course, but everything went smoothly afterward. Little mention was made of what they believed to be the real reason for inviting Luke to dinner. Lorelai had caught Emily looking curiously in their direction a few times, but not much about it was said.

Just as they were gathering their things and getting ready to leave, Richard cleared his throat and clapped his hand on Luke's shoulder. He looked at the older man, a confused look plastered on his features, but followed Richard into the other room while Lorelai and Rory walked with Emily down the hall towards the door.

"Anything I can help you with?" Luke asked, rocking back on his heels as he laughed nervously. He and Richard had never had a perfect relationship to say the least, and considering everything he and Lorelai had been through in the past few months, he didn't think her father's opinion of him had improved much.

"Actually, I was hoping that you could," Richard replied with a nod. He took a moment to take Luke's image in. He wasn't exactly in a suit, but considering the fact that he'd traded his usual flannel for a dark dress shirt and slacks, it was clear that he was actually trying to make some sort of impression. "I was hoping to speak to you for a moment regarding your relationship with my daughter."

"Does Lorelai know you're doing this? You know, we should probably get going," Luke said, stuffing one hand into his pocket and pointed toward the hall with the other. "It's a bit of a drive back to the Hollow."

Richard nodded slowly but held out a hand to stop him. "I won't keep you long, I can assure you. I'm aware of the fact you have a business to open in the morning. With that being said, back to the topic at hand; it's no secret that Lorelai has a life separate of her mother and I. She makes every attempt possible to remain independent and to keep her social activities and relationships private."

Luke waited for a minute as he paused. "What are you getting at here?"

"I'm getting at the fact that I care for my daughter despite the distance she herself has chosen to place between us. It's a fact that Lorelai prefers independence. However, I'd like to think that I still know my daughter pretty well. Which means I know that she cares a great deal for you," Richard paused, shifting his feet and casting a meaningful look in his direction. "This relationship between the two of you is not my business, but—"

"Okay, really? Look, all due respect, but if you're going to enter into some spiel about Lorelai and I, then—"

"Then what?" Richard countered, raising an eyebrow as he waited for a response. When Luke didn't respond he simply nodded. He'd known Luke long enough to realize the man simply wasn't comfortable with opening up in the way he was asking him to, but it was something he himself felt the need to ask. "Luke, it's quite obvious that you love my daughter. I'm sincerely happy for the two of you. But what I need to know is if this thing you two have got going is going to last. Because despite anything that might stand between us, Lorelai's happiness is important to me, and I'd hate for anything to interfere with that."

Luke looked back towards the doorway, expecting to see Lorelai standing there patiently or looking for the right moment to interject. What he found instead was a view of the hall, though he heard her voice coming from somewhere just beyond that. He turned his eyes back to Richard and pulled one hand from his pockets to massage the back of his neck, carefully considering his words. "Lorelai and I have made our mistakes in the past…and you're right by the way, this isn't much your business. I love her. Okay? That's the only defense I have. We've both screwed up and done things we regret. But I've lost her before, and you can guarantee I'll do everything I can to make sure that won't happen again. "

"Luke," Lorelai called from the door, her voice little more than a raspy whisper. The way her eyes shifted between the two men suggested she'd heard at least a portion of what he'd said. She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and coughed before speaking. "Rory needs to get back to school. She wanted to say goodbye before she does."

"I should probably—" Luke gestured to the door. Richard nodded. "Good bye," he walked toward the hall, saying the same to Emily along the way. Lorelai grabbed his hand as they stepped out into the cold night. They shared their goodbyes with Rory out on the drive before heading to the truck to leave themselves.

Lorelai stopped him, looking back towards the house before pulling on his lapels, bringing him in for a kiss. "We survived."

"Yeah," he replied, reluctant to let her go. "we did."


End file.
